doi:10.18449/2025MTA-WP16
Africa’s future will be young, urban and digital, but will it be more democratic? This Working Paper explores how age, urbanization and access to social media shape African citizens’ political attitudes, their willingness to participate in democratic institutions, and forms of collective action.
A drone view shows supporters of Senegal's Prime Minister and the head of the ruling PASTEF party Ousmane Sonko attending a campaign rally for the upcoming early legislative election, in Guediawaye on the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal, 13 November, 2024.
© picture alliance / REUTERS | Zohra Bensemra
With more than 70 per cent of the continent’s population under 30 years of age, Africa is currently the youngest continent. A high youth bulge is associated with strong support for democratic norms, an increased likelihood of participation in demonstrations and a decreased likelihood of voting in elections.
doi:10.18449/2025MTA-WP15
Africa's digital realm is rapidly evolving, with increasing regulatory frameworks emerging amidst diverse challenges. This contrasts with Europe’s established yet subtly influential digital governance landscape. The paper analyzes the dynamics of data regulation cooperation, advocating a non-paternalistic EU approach that embraces data sovereignty and a nuanced partnership strategy.
doi:10.18449/2024MTA-WP14
While public engagement has contributed to enhancing social justice in Nakuru City, Kenia, challenges in improving governance effectiveness and legitimacy persist. This is due to limited responsiveness of local elites, political and legal loopholes, and restricted public participation.
doi:10.18449/2023MTA-PB18
Nigeria’s youth is rapidly growing – a significant promise for the country’s future, but a currently untapped potential due to high unemployment. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, explains how Abuja and Berlin could work together to empower youth.
The working paper finds that urbanisation does not automatically lead to democratisation, but structures the way citizens relate to the state. While urban density facilitates collective accountability demands, the link between urbanisation and individual accountability relationships with the state is less straightforward. The reviewed evidence suggests that the force to reckon with is not the middle class, but rather the poor masses. It is not enough for governments to cater to the elites anymore, as the share of the urban poor becomes too large to ignore.
doi:10.18449/2022MTA-WP03
Megatrends have become ubiquitous phenomena in public policy debates. A thorough understanding of what this concept entails is often missing. We address this gap by unpacking the notion “megatrend” and tracing the significance it has for understanding the transformation of African societies.
