In its latest flagship report, the pan-African research network Afrobarometer paints a concerning picture of the state of democracy across the African continent. The report, titled “African Insights 2024: Democracy at Risk – the People’s Perspective”, draws on over 385,000 interviews conducted in 42 African countries to provide a citizen-based assessment of the health of democracy in Africa.

The report opens with a stark warning: “Democracy in Africa is at risk.” It notes a troubling decline in popular satisfaction with the way democracy is working, as well as waning support for democratic values and institutions among African citizens.

“For years, Afrobarometer has been the gold standard for understanding African citizens’ perspectives on governance and democracy. This report should serve as a wake-up call,” said E. Gyimah-Boadi, Afrobarometer’s co-founder and executive director. “African democracies are facing significant headwinds, and urgent action is needed to address the concerns expressed by the people.”

Some of the key findings from the 2024 report include, declining satisfaction with democracy: Across the 39 countries surveyed, only 47% of Africans say they are “fairly” or “very” satisfied with the way democracy is working in their countries, down from 55% in the previous round of surveys.

Weakening support for democracy: Just 56% of Africans say democracy is preferable to any other kind of government, a drop from 62% in the prior round. Support for authoritarian alternatives, such as one-party rule or military rule, is on the rise.

Concerns over election quality: Africans are increasingly concerned about the integrity of elections, with only 54% saying their most recent national election was “completely free and fair” or “free and fair with minor problems.”

Corruption remains a major obstacle: A majority of Africans (56%) say corruption is “somewhat” or “very” high in their country, up from 52% previously. Corruption is seen as a key barrier to the effective delivery of democracy.

The report also highlights concerning gender gaps, with women demonstrating lower levels of political participation and trust in democratic institutions compared to men.

“This report underscores the fragility of democracy in Africa and the urgent need for concerted efforts to shore up democratic institutions and processes,” said Gyimah-Boadi. “Citizen voices must be at the center of these efforts if we are to strengthen democracy and deliver on the aspirations of the African people.”