AFRICA — Across Africa, a striking generational divide is playing out — some of the world’s oldest leaders are governing the planet’s youngest populations.
From Cameroon’s Paul Biya at 92 to Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu at 73, a wave of elderly presidents is holding on to power even as restless, tech-savvy Gen Z citizens push for renewal, accountability, and reform.
At the heart of this generational tension is Cameroon’s Paul Biya, the world’s oldest non-monarch head of state. In power since 1982, Biya has maintained control through constitutional amendments and centralised rule.
As the 92-year-old seeks another term following the October 12 election, opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma has claimed victory, raising fears of unrest in a country of 30 million people, where the median age is just 19.
In the Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, 83, is also pushing boundaries with a controversial bid for a fourth term. His administration has overseen economic growth, but critics accuse him of muzzling dissent through protest bans and opposition arrests ahead of the October 25 election.
With a median age of 18.3, many Ivorians view his long stay in power as emblematic of an aging political class clinging to influence.
Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, also 83, has ruled since 1979 — the longest-serving president in the world. His oil-rich nation is now facing economic decline as revenues dwindle, while critics accuse him of corruption and repression, charges he denies.
Meanwhile, in Uganda, 81-year-old Yoweri Museveni remains entrenched after nearly four decades in power. Once hailed as a reformist, Museveni is now synonymous with authoritarianism, with youth-led protests repeatedly suppressed.
Uganda’s 51 million citizens have a median age of 17, highlighting the generational disconnect.
Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, 83, who took power after Robert Mugabe’s ouster in 2017, faces mounting unrest over inflation, corruption, and talk of a third term — beyond constitutional limits. Protests are growing in the 17-million-strong nation, where the median age is 18.
In Congo-Brazzaville, Denis Sassou Nguesso, 81, has dominated since 1979, surviving civil war and multiple accusations of electoral fraud. His rule mirrors that of other veteran leaders who have reshaped constitutions to remain in office.
Even relatively younger presidents, like Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu, 73, and Algeria’s Abdelmadjid Tebboune, 79, are governing youthful populations hungry for change.
Nigeria’s 234 million citizens have a median age of 18, and persistent economic hardship has fuelled frustration with Tinubu’s administration.
In Liberia, Joseph Boakai, 80, took office in 2024 after defeating George Weah, pledging stability and reform in a nation still recovering from years of conflict.
In Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, 77, continues a 25-year grip on power amid limited political freedom.
This aging leadership pattern extends beyond politics — it symbolises what analysts call the “demographic paradox” of Africa: a youthful population under the rule of leaders who came to power decades before many of their citizens were born.
“The continent’s future is being decided by leaders from the past,” said a Nairobi-based governance analyst. “The frustration of young Africans is not just about age, but about vision — or the lack of it.”
With Gen Z-led movements increasingly shaping discourse through digital activism — from Nigeria’s #EndSARS to Madagascar’s recent protests — the calls for generational change are becoming impossible to ignore.
As Africa’s aging presidents seek to extend their rule, their youngest citizens — armed with smartphones, data, and determination — appear ready to challenge the status quo.
