Blog post
Investing in education is investing in Africa’s governance
Stories of corruption and how deeply it runs in Africa are sadly too familiar. Corruption corrodes ethical norms in public life, weakens transparency, and diverts resources away from services citizens depend on. Across many Afrobarometer survey rounds, Africans have spoken up, demanding more from their leaders.
We drew on an Afrobarometer round 9 survey of a sample of 54,436 Africans from 39 African countries between 2021 and 2023 to examine the links between education and support for democracy. Afrobarometer is a nonpartisan survey network that measures African public attitudes on democracy, governance, the economy, and society.
Figures 1 and 2 from Round 9 (2021–2023) show that most Africans across the continent support greater accountability and transparency from their governments.
Figure 1: Support for government-to-citizen accountability. Source: Afrobarometer Round 9.
Figure 2: Support for transparency of information held by public authorities. Source: Afrobarometer Round 9.
In Figure 1, an average of 60% of respondents favour greater accountability, even if it slows decision-making. Figure 2 shows that 55% rejected the idea that information held by public officials should be kept from citizens, signalling support for transparency.
Together, the figures point to a continental push for more transparent and accountable leadership, both core pillars of good governance, which are essential for sustainable development and democratic stability in Africa.
Linking education and demands for greater transparency
A recent study we published through Afrobarometer suggests that education may be a key driver of this growing demand. Titled ‘Demanding More: Does Education Increase Public Backing for Good Governance in Africa?’, the paper shows that the more educated Africans are, the more likely they are to demand transparency and accountability from their governments.
“Support for government-to-citizen accountability” was measured using Afrobarometer Question 18, which asks respondents to choose between prioritising government efficiency or citizen oversight, with those favouring citizen oversight coded as supporting accountability. “Support for transparency” was drawn from Question 75, where respondents were asked whether information held by public authorities should remain restricted to officials; those who disagreed were coded as supporting transparency.
We found that both self-reported and country-level measures of educational attainment correlate with public demand for good governance using the two measures above. Specifically, better-educated individuals were more likely to insist on having a say in how their governments operate, even if that slows decision-making, and more likely to reject the idea that information held by public authorities should remain secret. In concrete terms, these demands translate into expectations for ethical leadership and transparent and accountable decision-making in public institutions.
Understanding how educational attainment positively impacts democratic values
These findings are timely. Across the continent, calls for open budgets, access to information, independent oversight, and stronger accountability are growing louder. But too often, these calls are framed as political or generational. Our study shows that they are also educational.
We argue that education equips citizens with the cognitive skills and civic confidence to question authority, understand policy choices, and demand their rights. It builds what scholars call “internal political efficacy” – better-educated individuals may feel more capable of understanding and influencing political processes, which can strengthen their belief that they deserve a say in how they are governed.
Moreover, education seems to make people more aware of the value of transparent, accountable leadership, which may increase their demand for it. It also strengthens ethical reasoning and social norms that stigmatise corrupt behaviour.
For instance, in our data, Botswana scores high on both our measures of transparency and accountability and on educational attainment, signalling how a strong education system may help cultivate citizens who demand good governance. By contrast, Sudan performs poorly on both governance and education indicators, highlighting how weaker educational outcomes may contribute to lower public pressure for open and accountable governance.
How should this impact policy and decision-making?
For policymakers and other stakeholders, these insights show that investments in education in Africa are investments in democracy and good governance. Millions of African children remain out of school, and many who are enrolled often receive poor-quality education that leaves them ill-prepared for active citizenship. Expanding access to quality, relevant education, especially beyond primary school can help cultivate citizens who know their rights and demand them. This is particularly the case for marginalised groups, like women, who were found to be less likely to demand good governance.
Moreover, this link suggests that education reforms should prioritise civic education – teaching how governments work, why transparency matters, and how to hold leaders to account.
Addressing corruption risks within the education sector itself, like informal fees, favouritism in admissions, or ghost payrolls, will also be essential to rebuild trust and ensure that schools model the ethical standards they teach.
Ethics and transparency reforms such as open contracting and procurement disclosure, public asset and interest declarations, whistle-blower protections, and accessible right-to-information processes are also practical levers that respond to this demand for good governance and deter corruption.
In an era when disinformation, state repression, and populist manipulation threaten democratic gains across the world, Africa’s education gap risks leaving many citizens vulnerable to exploitation and disengagement. A better-educated populace is harder to fool, harder to silence, and better equipped to demand good governance.
This article is adapted from a piece originally published by Good Governance Africa.
About the authors
Nnaemeka Ohamadike is a Senior Data Analyst at Good Governance Africa. He is also completing his PhD in Applied Data Science at the University of Johannesburg, specialising in computational methods for detecting social biases in language data. His research explores issues like human development, governance, bias, and disinformation, using data science.
Stuart Morrison is a Data Analyst with the Governance Insights and Analytics team at Good Governance Africa. His work examines the intersection of local governance, urbanisation, and elections. Drawing on his technical expertise in data science, he brings a nuanced, evidence-driven perspective to research and policy.
