Africans want elections but don’t trust electoral management bodies to ensure they’re free and fair, new Afrobarometer Pan Africa Profile reveals

On average across 38 countries, about three-quarters (74%) of Africans support choosing their leaders through regular, open, and honest elections. This is the majority position in every surveyed country, although support for elections has weakened over the past decade (Figure 1).

But only about four in 10 Africans (38%) say they trust their country’s electoral management body “somewhat” or “a lot” (Figure 2).

Seven in 10 citizens (71%) say they voted in their country’s most recent national election (Figure 3).

Self-reported voting is highest among older age cohorts (82%), rural residents (75%), men (74%), and citizens without formal education (76%).

More than half (55%) of Africans rate their most recent national election as largely free and fair (either “completely” or with “minor problems”), but 36% disagree (Figure 4).

Across 28 countries surveyed consistently since 2014/2015, the perception of free and fair elections has declined by 7 percentage points (Figure 5).

Most Africans say they are “somewhat” or “completely” free to join any political organisation of their choice (77%) and to vote for any candidate without feeling pressured (86%) (Figure 6).

More than three-fourths (77%) of citizens say elected officials should follow voters’ demands, but only 17% say their MPs “often” or “always” do their best to listen to what ordinary people have to say (Figure 7).

Africans want elections but don’t trust electoral management bodies to ensure they’re free and fair, new Afrobarometer Pan-Africa Profile reveals

Africans want to choose their leaders through fair elections, but a majority distrust the election management body charged with ensuring the fairness and transparency of their country’s elections, the latest Afrobarometer Pan-Africa Profile reveals.

The new report, based on 50,961 interviews across 38 African countries in 2024/2025, shows that a large majority of citizens report participating in the electoral process. More than half see their most recent election as largely free and fair, though confidence in electoral integrity has weakened. And most feel free to vote without pressure and to join political organisations.

However, substantial minorities report fearing violence or intimidation during the last election campaign and doubt that their ballots are truly secret. And most doubt that elections produce responsive leaders: While the vast majority of citizens say that elected officials should heed voter demands, few think their members of Parliament (MPs) are listening.