- Two thirds of African youth want to emigrate with North America and Western Europe as top destinations
These findings are based off the 2024 edition of the African Youth Survey, which indicated that despite Africa’s youth having bounced back from the ravages of COVID 19, they aren’t happy with the direction their governments are taking. They are unafraid to speak out and they are unequivocal about what the greatest threat to their futures is – corruption.
Corruption is now front and centre in the minds of youth in the rest of the continent. They believe that corruption in their countries is robbing them of their birth right; the single greatest hurdle they face to achieve their own potential and achieve the better life that was denied their parents and their grandparents. Most of all, they don’t believe their governments are doing enough to address this scourge.
The 2024 edition of the African Youth Survey is the third edition of the unique biennial survey of African youths aged between 18 and 24. For this edition, 5,604 youths were interviewed in 16 countries. Since its inception in 2020, researchers have gauged the sentiments of more than 14,000 respondents across Africa, collectively representing 84% of the continent - on a variety of a different issues from their hopes and aspirations to their most pressing concerns.
“The youth want change. They want tougher sanctions against corrupt politicians, including banning them from standing for office. They also want a different form of government. The youth still believe in democracy (69%), but they are turning away from the western concept of democracy in favour of an African infused system (60%) that will deliver the results they desire. More alarmingly, nearly one in three believe that non-democratic systems, from the military or one-party rule, could be preferable under certain circumstances,” the report stated.
The youth also want jobs – and if not jobs, then the opportunity to create their own. They are concerned about their countries being exploited by foreign companies especially their natural mineral wealth being mined and exported without any further benefit to the people from where those resources have been extracted.
From a global perspective, China continues to have the most positive perception among African youth, closely followed by the US, with Russia making significant strides since the previous survey in 2022.
“The African Youth Survey continues to build on the promise it showed when we launched it four years ago,” says industrialist and philanthropist Ivor Ichikowitz, whose Ichikowitz Family Foundation conceptualised and funds the survey.
“As we move ever deeper into the epoch that was dubbed the African Century only 25 years ago, it is becoming clearer about what needs to be done to make this a reality by unlocking the potential that lies within Africa and properly, organically and sustainably harnessing it to the benefit not just of the people who live here, but to the whole world too.
“Almost a third of the continent will go to the polls in 2024 it is vital to have an idea of what is going to happen – and to understand why when it does. In a continent like Africa, with the age of its population, the youth are a far more important factor than anywhere else on the globe. How the rest of the world will respond to the voices of Africa’s youth will shape the future of the planet.”
And also, the link to the report which is https://ichikowitzfoundation.com/africa-youth-survey?year=2024
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