Gen Z’s Growing Influence on African Politics

Recent events across sub-Saharan Africa, including youth-led protests challenging entrenched leadership, suggest that changes previously forecast may occur sooner than anticipated. These developments raise questions about the future of governance on the continent.

Morocco Protests

In September 2025, hundreds of young protesters took to the streets across Morocco, seeking improvements in government services and an end to corruption. Demonstrators, organized by a movement known as GenZ 212, staged protests in at least eleven cities, including Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakesh. They are urging increased investment in public health and education and criticizing the government’s multibillion-dollar investment in football infrastructure in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations and FIFA World Cup, while citing concerns about healthcare access. These demonstrations, among the largest anti-government displays in Morocco since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, resulted in a forceful security response and the arrest of hundreds.

Kenya Protests

Gen-Z protests in Kenya in June 2025 saw young people across the nation demanding justice, accountability, and a better future. Eight protestors were killed in a confrontation with police, and one lost fingers when a tear gas canister exploded. While these protests have not led to immediate change, observers note they have shaken the political landscape and are likely to influence future governance. The Kenya protests, organized by youth activists and civil society groups, reflect frustration with government policies, police brutality, and economic hardships. Protests over tax hikes in 2024 resulted in some reforms, but the impact of the 2025 protests remains to be seen.

Madagascar Government Dissolution

A week-long series of protests in late September and early October 2025, by young people in Madagascar over water and electricity shortages, led to the dissolution of President Andry Rajoelina’s government on September 29. Rajoelina fled the country with French military assistance on October 13. The protests, which also called for broad political reforms, were reportedly inspired by protests in Kenya and Nepal. Police response to the demonstrations resulted in at least twenty-two deaths and approximately 100 injuries.

The Broader Context

In Africa, people under thirty make up over 70 percent of the population, with a median age of 19.3. This young population faces high unemployment, rising living costs, and entrenched political leadership. Gen Z is increasingly challenging the status quo, utilizing smartphones, social media, and a willingness to confront authority. With access to the internet, they are influenced by global events and can rapidly mobilize large crowds. In 2025, mass protests swept across Africa, with tens of thousands of young people voicing concerns about hunger and inequality.

Decentralized Organization and Generational Disparity

Youth-led protests are characterized by decentralized, digital organization, often utilizing platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. These protests reflect growing frustrations with governments’ inability to address pressing issues. A significant disparity exists between the youth population and the average age of African leaders, who in 2024 had an average age of 64.3, with over 72 percent being over sixty. Many of these leaders have held power for two decades or more, contributing to a sense of exclusion among young people.

Social Media’s Role and Government Responses

Social media has played a crucial role in organizing current protests, enabling rapid mobilization and communication. Governments have responded differently; some, like Kenya, engaged in dialogue and made concessions, while others, such as Morocco and Madagascar, employed heavy-handed tactics, which further fueled the protests. In Madagascar, these tactics led to the military siding with the protestors and the government’s collapse.

Global Trends and Future Implications

Similar protests led by Gen-Z have occurred in Nepal, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Serbia. Gen Z, comprising 30 percent of the global population, is technologically savvy and highly connected through social media. The group is diverse and influenced by global connections. Gen-Z is poised to transform Africa’s political, economic, and social landscape, as well as those of other regions worldwide.

About the author: Charles A. Ray, a member of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Africa Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, served as US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Source: This article was published by FPRI