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.

Foreign influence

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.

Nevertheless, 82 percent had positive views about the influence of China, whose Belt and Road Initiative has spawned massive infrastructure projects across the continent.

Members of the Chinese honour guard walk past as Mali’s interim President Assimi Goita arrives in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), on September 1 [Ken Ishii/Pool via Reuters]

Seventy-nine percent viewed the influence of the United States positively, with 41 percent saying it provides “important loans and economic support”.

Most said a Donald Trump victory in the US presidential election in November would be a far worse outcome for Africa than a win by Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

Perceptions of Russian influence increased, notably in Malawi and South Africa, with more than half of those with a positive view of Russia citing its provision of grain and fertiliser.

However, a significant number of youths – 30 percent – view Russian influence negatively, mostly due to “detrimental impacts on African countries caused by Russia’s engagement in conflicts”, said the survey.

Africa is home to nearly 420 million youth aged 15-35, one-third of whom are unemployed, the African Development Bank says.

It has the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, with it expected to double to more than 830 million by 2050.