• Afrobarometer: Education boosts demand for accountability in Africa

• Survey of 54,436 shows educated citizens push transparency, good governance

• Report links education, governance to stronger growth and investment
  

Educated Africans are more likely to demand good governance and accountability from their leaders, a new report by Afrobarometer has found. The study, titled "Demanding More: Does education increase public backing for good governance in Africa?," surveyed 54,436 citizens across 39 countries between 2021 and 2023.

Authored by Nnaemeka Ohamadike and Stuart Morrison and released in July 2025, the report found that six out of ten Africans consider it a priority to hold their leaders accountable, even if it slows down decision-making. More than half reject the idea that information held by authorities should be reserved for public officials only. In both cases, civic engagement was significantly higher among those with more education, both at the individual and national level.

The report links education and good governance to economic competitiveness. An environment of transparency and accountability reduces corruption costs, improves regulatory predictability, and boosts investor confidence. According to the World Bank, African countries with higher governance ratings attract more foreign direct investment per capita and experience stronger growth in formal employment.

The Afrobarometer study cross-referenced citizen responses with the UN Development Programme's education index. The report notes that countries where more than 70% of citizens demand accountability, such as Botswana, Kenya, and Ghana, also rank well for business climate in the 2019 Doing Business report. Conversely, in countries like Sudan and Mauritania, where fewer than 40% of citizens prioritize transparency, economic performance remains more fragile. The findings suggest that higher education levels strengthen civic awareness and reduce information asymmetry between the government and the governed, which is essential for a healthy and predictable economic environment.

Some African countries are already taking action. South Africa's Stellenbosch University is collaborating with a special investigative unit to develop anti-corruption awareness modules. Other countries are focusing on civic education in vocational training, expanding education in rural areas, and building partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society.

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation estimates that joint progress in education and governance could generate up to two additional percentage points of annual growth in several African economies by 2035. Investing in inclusive, quality education while ensuring access to public data is seen as a high-yield strategy. The study concludes that an educated and informed youth could become a driver of political transformation and a strategic asset for a more robust and attractive labor market.

Félicien Houindo Lokossou