The greatest resource of the continent of Africa is its youthful population

The energetic African youth population continues to be the greatest contributor to its global presence. The entertainment space is dominated by young, talented artists who continue to put the continent on the global stage.

Some of these talented artists are topping global charts with their work, from the hashtag#afrobeat to the hashtag#amapiano movement to the Azonto wave and the global hit Jerusalem.

In 2024, the youth decided to move a step further to be more involved in the governance of the continent. Across the continent, the youth were ready for anything to shape the political space and governance of their economies, demanding accountability for the fiscal disciplines of their government expenditures with excessive nepotism, which leads to corruption.

Corruption continues to be a huge avenue for the misappropriation and mismanagement of the resources that are needed for the development of the continent.

The youth of Senegal stood their ground in Dakar and other cities against Macky Sall’s government, paving the way for the election of the youngest president on the continent.

The streets of Accra were flagged with hashtag#stopgalamseynow when Ghanaian youth were asking their leaders to stop the illegal mining, which has become a bane for corruption while destroying the forest reserves and water bodies.

In Lagos, the hashtag#endbadgovernance amidst the growing frustration, lack of opportunities, and rising costs of living brought out the youth in their thousands to protest. Over the years, the political ruling class has manipulated the populace, but growing discontent has impacted the youth.

It is interesting to note that some of the current crop of leaders once led such protests. Pres. Bola Tinibu of Nigeria played a critical role in the Occupy Nigeria protest against Pres. Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.

Pres. Nana Addo Dankwo Akufo-Addo helped to lead the infamous Kumipreko demonstration and other protests in Ghana.

Nairobi became the home battleground for Gen-Z to voice their discontent on the harsh economic reality and the introduction of the finance bill, hence hashtag#RejectFinanceBill2024. The streets of Maputo witnessed the intense dissatisfaction of voter fraud, which isn’t the true reflection of the will of the people.

The hashtag#anticorruption protest garnered momentum on social media, leading to arrests by the Government of Uganda. These protests were met with fierce opposition from various governments through the use of security forces such as the police and the military.

The youth persisted with their demands, and in Kenya, the hashtag#FinanceBill was dropped. We are looking into 2025 with more youth engagement since some of these actions have really sparked the narrative on the political discourse of Africa.

With the power of technology, one can evidently say the African youth spring of political participation is evoked like in the days of colonialism.

Mary Alorh is Director of Administration at DefSEC Analytics Africa Ltd. and is an expert in Gender, Youth, and Peace & Security initiatives in West Africa.