NEARLY 60 percent of young Africans want to leave their countries because their governments are not reining in corruption, according to a new poll of youth across 16 African nations.
They cited corruption as the biggest obstacle to progress, according to the 2024 African Youth Survey published on Tuesday.
The poll commissioned by the Johannesburg-based Ichikowitz Family Foundation surveyed 5,604 people between the ages of 18 and 24 in Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
Eighty-three percent of them said they are concerned about corruption at home, and 62 percent believe the government is failing to address it.
The poll showed nearly 58 percent of young people saying they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider emigrating to another country in the next three years.
“Concern is widespread across different spheres, including national and local governments, businesses, and police forces,” said the survey, conducted via face-to-face interviews in January and February.
“They want tougher sanctions against corrupt politicians, including banning them from standing for office,” the foundation said.
More than half, or 55 percent, of those polled said Africa was headed in the “wrong direction”, although there was a modest rise to 37 percent in “Afro-optimism” from the 2022 survey.
Young Africans looking to emigrate favoured North America as their top destination, followed by Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain.
In addition to corruption at home, 72 percent of those polled also worried about the negative effect of foreign influence.
“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,” said the foundation.
