African insights 2025: Citizen engagement, citizen power: Africans claim the promise of democracy

Foreword: Citizen engagement,

our greatest hope

Citizen engagement in Africa:

Many ways to have a say

Citizen engagement is a cornerstone of democratic governance, allowing citizens to express their needs and preferences while helping to ensure government accountability, transparency, and effectiveness. 

Afrobarometer public-attitude surveys have been tracking citizen engagement on the continent for 25 years. This report, the second in an annual series on high-priority topics, examines current levels of engagement across 39 African countries, trends over the past decade, demographic patterns of engagement, and factors that drive people to make their voices heard. Country scorecards illustrate key indicators of citizen engagement in all surveyed countries.

10 ways Africans get involved

Our analysis of 53,444 interviews in 39 countries finds that despite concerns about democratic backsliding and a loss of political freedom, most Africans participate in multiple political and civic activities, demonstrating engagement at levels that compare favourably with other world regions:

• Nearly three-quarters (72%) voted in their country’s last national election, including nine out of 10 in Liberia (89%), Sierra Leone (90%), and Seychelles (91%).
• Four in 10 (41%) “feel close to” a political party.
• More than six in 10 (62%) “occasionally” or “frequently” discuss politics with family or friends.

During the previous year:

• Almost half (47%) attended a community meeting at least once, ranging from 11% in Tunisia to 85% in Madagascar.
• More than four in 10 (42%) joined with others to raise an issue.
• More than one-third (37%) contacted a traditional leader, 28% a local government councillor, 15% a member of Parliament (MP), and 20% a political party official.
• Nearly one in 10 respondents (9%) participated in a protest or demonstration.

Almost everyone gets involved: A mere 6% did not join any of these 10 forms of engagement. And very few stop at voting: On average, individuals engaged in 3.6 forms of participation.

This level of engagement represents an enormous wealth of commitment and skills, and a potential source of energy that can strengthen government effectiveness and legitimacy if leaders are willing to listen and respond.

Trends in engagement

One form of citizen engagement has experienced a marked decline over the past decade: affiliation with a political party. Identification with a party dropped in every surveyed country except Morocco.

In contrast, citizens’ contact with local, national, and traditional leaders has increased.

Who participates?

Contrary to expectations generated from Western democracies, Africans who are poorer and less educated tend to participate more in political and civic activities than their wealthier and more educated counterparts.

What’s more, rural residents outperform urbanites when it comes to citizen engagement.

But disadvantages persist for two of Africa’s largest demographic groups – women and youth.

Focus » Africans lead the way in working together for change

Compared to other regions of the world, Africa acquits itself well when it comes to citizen engagement, especially in taking collective action and contacting leaders.

Focus » Not just voters: Election engagement at the next level

For some people, electoral engagement goes well beyond turning out on Election Day. About one-third (35%) of Africans report attending a campaign rally prior to their country’s last election. And 17% say they worked for a candidate or party. 

Focus » Africans online: Social media and digital activism

Social media may be changing the way Africans engage in politics. Posting about public affairs is a still-nascent form of participation that has shown remarkable impact and is likely to grow.

Focus » Are we hearing the voices of Africa’s youth and women?

As in much of the rest of the world, African youth and women are less politically engaged than older generations and men. But rates of participation vary widely across the continent.

Country case » Mobilised on social media, Gen Z protests in Kenya achieve core goals, but at a high price

Fed up with economic mismanagement, corruption, and unemployment, young Kenyans made their voices heard across the continent.

Photo by Hassan Kibwana on Unsplash

Country case » Senegal: Protests + votes = democratic renewal (x2!)

Senegalese use a combination of protest and voting-for-change to save their democracy – again.

Drivers of citizen engagement

in Africa

Examining national-level factors that promote – or inhibit – engagement, we find that economic need, government responsiveness, and democratic performance are important drivers of political and civic engagement in Africa.

• Need fosters engagement: Rates of participation are higher in countries with lower levels of economic well-being. Confronting the unmet needs of individuals, households, and communities may be a major motivator for citizen engagement.
• Government responsiveness promotes greater engagement: Countries where citizens perceive local government councillors as responsive to their needs generally have higher rates of contact with these officials.
• More democracy means more engagement: Electoral participation is higher in countries where citizens are satisfied with the way democracy works; believe that elections are free, fair, and effective; and feel free to cast their ballots as they wish. In contrast, when these conditions are not present, protests are more common.  

These findings suggest that initiatives aimed at boosting citizen engagement should focus on political factors, especially fostering open and responsive democratic institutions and improving election quality.

Citizen engagement: Democracy’s vital signs

Even in the face of economic hardship and political constraints, Africans remain determined to have their voices heard by their governments. But gaps in engagement, especially among women and youth, also highlight opportunities to ensure more inclusive and meaningful participation for all citizens. The challenge for governments and democracy supporters is not only to expand access to participation, but also to respond effectively to the voices that are raised. When engagement is broad and effective, it strengthens accountability, deepens legitimacy, and builds trust between citizens and the state, all of which set the foundations for a more resilient democracy. 

Country scorecards on citizen engagement

Our country scorecards present graphic illustrations of Afrobarometer findings on key indicators of citizen engagement in 39 African countries.