AFRICANS GROWING DISILLUSIONED WITH DEMOCRACY

Africans are increasingly disillusioned with democracy due to its failure to deliver jobs, economic development, and security, threatening its endurance on the continent. This trend is highlighted as the top story of 2025 amid ongoing governance challenges, coups, and weakened institutions. Economic vulnerabilities persist with high debt, trade imbalances, inflation, and reliance on volatile commodity exports, exacerbated by global crises like COVID-19 and the Ukraine war. Conflicts are spiking, including state-based wars, non-state violence, and one-sided attacks on civilians, fueled by state fragility, arms proliferation, and insurgencies in regions like the Sahel.