Amid growing uncertainty, 2025 demonstrated resilience – and value.
Amid shifts in the global funding landscape, Afrobarometer adapted by securing new institutional support and establishing a resiliency fund to strengthen long-term sustainability. Work did not slow down: The network continued to deliver at scale, expanding data collection, strengthening partnerships, and amplifying African voices across the continent and globally.
The year marked the completion of our 38-country Round 10 surveys. No sooner than we finished, we started planning for Round 11. To ensure data quality and reduce questionnaire length, we will start alternating between more questions on special topics during odd-numbered survey rounds and traditional governance- and economy-related questions during even-numbered survey rounds.
In July, we released our second annual flagship report, on citizen engagement, which generated even greater media traction than the first edition. We also launched Methods Notes, a new publication series exploring methodological issues. Our 1,000th dispatch was published, one among hundreds of papers, briefings, news releases, webinars, and other outputs produced during the year.
We continued fine-tuning and expanding our results-dissemination efforts, earning high-profile mentions of our data from Ghanaian President John Mahama and Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, among thousands of others.
Investments in capacity building are reaping rewards. We organised training events to help policy advocates, journalists, academic staff and students, and, in a first, legislators in Lesotho to use our data for research and evidence-based policy making. We also produced a training-video library covering our free online data analysis tool and basic skills in data analysis.
Institutional partnerships reached a new high, as Afrobarometer signed memorandums of understanding with the African Peer Review Mechanism, the Pan-African Parliament, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. In addition, we were granted observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Following an extensive recruitment process, we appointed our Beninese National Partner Innovante Recherche en Economie et Gouvernance as our Core Partner for francophone Africa.
Lastly, 2025 saw the end of an era, as co-founder Prof. E. Gyimah-Boadi retired as board chair, passing the baton to board member Amina Oyagbola, while Director of Analysis and Capacity Building Carolyn Logan shifted to a senior advisory role. We were able to give Prof. Gyimah-Boadi the send-off he deserved during a function in Accra in July, which also saw the premiere of a documentary detailing his contributions over the past 25 years.
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Afrobarometer’s second flagship report showcases citizen power
In 2025, Afrobarometer released its second flagship report, African insights 2025: Citizen engagement, citizen power: Africans claim the promise of democracy, drawing on data from 39 countries.
The findings show that civic and political participation is both widespread and multidimensional. Only 6% of respondents report no engagement on 10 different metrics.
The report highlights important variations across countries and demographic groups: Participation tends to be higher among the economically disadvantaged and in contexts where democratic institutions are stronger and citizens feel that their voices are heard.
Meet Afrobarometer
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.
Its work is guided by a vision of a world in which Africa’s development is anchored in the realities and aspirations of its people.
Afrobarometer’s National Partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice. Ten survey rounds in up to 45 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 11 surveys are being conducted in 2026/2027.
The Afrobarometer team and network
With a secretariat in Accra, Afrobarometer has team members based across Africa, as well as in various U.S. cities. The AB network consists of 40 National Partners throughout Africa, along with four regional Core Partners and two Support Units.
Board of Directors
International Advisory Council
The International Advisory Council consists of global, high-level political and thought leaders committed to providing strategic intelligence, foresight, and advocacy to support and promote Afrobarometer internationally. The council’s role is to inspire and energise policy makers, funders, and other key audiences, as well as network staff, by advocating for our shared mission to make citizen voice a key pillar of Africa policy and decision making.
Funders
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Learn about a National Partner
Just as LAEREAG learned about an “unknown Chad” in February-April 2025, when it conducted the country’s first-ever Afrobarometer survey.
Four teams, one mission
From data collection to capacity building, all Afrobarometer teams contribute to the network’s mission to make citizen voice a key pillar of Africa policy and decision making.
Surveys
In 2025, Afrobarometer completed 10 country surveys, bringing the Round 10 survey total to 38. We also conducted telephone surveys and interviewed 16- and 17-year-olds as part of a learning exercise.
Analysis
In addition to the flagship report, the Analysis Unit facilitated the production of 170 dispatches (including five Pan-Africa Profiles), seven policy papers, and 13 working papers during the year.
Capacity building
More than 1,000 participants benefited from Afrobarometer’s capacity-building initiatives, including summer schools, workshops, and online training programmes.
Communications
Our digital-first communications strategy is bearing fruit, as 2025 saw 162 news releases, more than 50 outreach presentations, webinars, and podcasts, and record-setting social-media engagement, publication downloads, and webpage views.
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Visibility and impact
Afrobarometer data and analytic outputs serve hundreds of groups and individuals across governments, development partners, academia, civil society, news media, the philanthropic and private sectors, and more throughout Africa and around the globe.
Our data inform numerous global indicators, including 12 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2025 alone, our data were cited by African presidents, ministers, parliamentary speakers, and policy makers – along with hundreds of journalists, activists, development partners, and scholars.
Make African voices count
Donations help Afrobarometer give voice to African citizens. Please consider making a donation to Afrobarometer. To make an online donation, kindly follow this link or this link. To discuss institutional funding, contact Felix Biga (felixbiga@afrobarometer.org) or Runyararo Munetsi (runyararo@afrobarometer.org).
Download our 2025 Annual Report
