Why Africa’s youth see employment as Africa’s new security frontier

The survey found that 54 percent identified unemployment and poverty as the biggest threats to safety in their local communities, ahead of drugs and alcohol abuse, corruption in security services, violent crime and domestic violence.

The findings point to a changing understanding of security among Africa’s young generation, with economic insecurity increasingly being viewed as closely linked to social stability and public safety.

The latest survey, commissioned by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and conducted by PSB Insights, interviewed 4,901 young people aged 18 to 24 across 16 African countries in March 2026.

The countries covered Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Asked what governments should prioritise to improve security, 56 percent chose job creation for young people, compared with 35 percent who selected military investment and 33 percent who favoured anti-corruption measures.

Founder and Commissioner of the African Youth Survey, Ivor Ichikowitz, said the findings should change how policymakers understand the relationship between prosperity and security.

“Young Africans understand something many policymakers still overlook - prosperity is one of the most powerful forms of security. For them, unemployment and poverty are not simply economic challenges. They are security challenges. They are governance challenges. They are stability challenges. This finding should reshape how we think about security policy,” he said.

The importance young Africans attach to employment is also reflected in their wider development priorities.

When asked what Africa most needs to progress, creating new, well-paying jobs ranked first at 27 percent, followed by reducing government corruption at 25 percent. Making it easier to start a business was selected by 16 percent, up from 10 percent in 2020.

The rising cost of living was identified as the development that had the biggest impact on Africa over the past five years, selected by 27 percent of respondents, ahead of political instability, deaths from infectious diseases and the technological revolution.

Political analyst Dr Onesmo Kyauke of the University of Dar es Salaam said the findings reflect a broader shift in how young Africans understand security.

“Young Africans are no longer looking at security only through the lens of policing, military strength or the control of crime. They increasingly see economic opportunity, particularly access to decent employment, as an important foundation for a secure and stable society,” he said.

Despite these pressures, young Africans are becoming more optimistic about their future.

Across the eight countries tracked in every wave of the survey, 47 percent said their country was moving in the right direction, up from 30 percent in 2024, while 45 percent said their national economy was moving in the right direction, compared with 26 percent in 2024.

The country-level results, however, show a sharply varied picture. Rwanda recorded the strongest confidence in national direction, with 91 percent saying the country was moving in the right direction. It also recorded the highest safety figure, with 99 percent saying they felt safe.

Somalia emerged as another positive surprise, with 82 percent saying the country was moving in the right direction, 79 percent saying the national economy was moving in the right direction and 89 percent saying they were optimistic or excited about their country’s future.

Ghana, Ethiopia and Zambia also recorded major improvements. In Ghana, positive sentiment about the country’s direction rose by 51 percentage points. In Ethiopia, concern about employment fell by 44 percentage points while positive sentiment about the country’s direction rose by 44 percentage points. In Zambia, concern about employment fell by 41 percentage points while confidence in national direction rose by 32 percentage points.

The picture was less positive in Kenya, South Africa, Mozambique, Chad and Nigeria, where young people were among the most pessimistic about national direction, the economy, security or the wider global outlook.

Kenya and South Africa were also among the most negative about Africa’s overall direction, with 70 percent of Kenyan youth and 69 percent of South African youth saying the continent was moving in the wrong direction.

Political analyst Mr Salbinus David of the University of Dar es Salaam said the findings demonstrate why employment policies should form part of broader national security strategies.

“The message from these young Africans is that governments cannot separate economic security from public security. When young people have no jobs, stable incomes or meaningful economic opportunities, the consequences can extend beyond the individual to communities and national stability,” he said.

The survey also found that 76 percent of young Africans believe their leaders are out of touch with their needs and aspirations, although 70 percent agree that their voices matter to national leaders.

The findings therefore present African governments with both an opportunity and a warning: young people remain optimistic about the continent, but expect that optimism to be matched by tangible improvements in employment, living standards, security and governance.

Political analyst Prof Ali Makame Ussi of the State University of Zanzibar said the findings show why governments need to consider economic conditions when developing security policies.

“For young Africans, security is increasingly about whether they can build a decent life, find meaningful work and have confidence in their economic future. This means job creation should be treated as a central component of security and development policy,” he said.