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Paper short abstract:

Challenges and opportunities in achieving meaningful inclusion of young people in the political settlements of African cities. Insights and lessons learned from Addis Ababa, Freetown, Kampala, Maiduguri, and Mogadishu.

Paper long abstract:

By 2050, half of Africa's population will be under the age of 25. As such, young people are indispensable in the pursuit of inclusive development of the continent. Despite their crucial role, state-led interventions focused on youth are limited and often disconnected from youth needs and demands. Young people face multifaceted challenges, spanning from accessing health care, housing, quality education, and skills training programs to securing sufficient work. This research contributes to the understanding of the exclusions and politicization of African urban youth by addressing two key research questions: 1) How do current power relations, policies, and programs hinder young people from fulfilling their capabilities and potential? 2) How are urban youth navigating dominant power structures and challenging social injustices in African cities?

Based on qualitative data from five African cities – Addis Ababa, Freetown, Kampala, Maiduguri, Mogadishu – this research reveals that political elites engage with youth primarily during elections, employing patron-client campaigning strategies. These power dynamics limit youth influence on policy agendas and the ability to hold government agencies accountable. As a result, some youth are compelled to align themselves with the agendas of the current political elite to be included at least in some capacity. However, there is a growing awareness among political elites of youth's disruptive potential and the inadequacy of current clientelist approaches. This awareness opens up increasing prospects for more meaningful inclusion of youth in political settlements, a momentum that youth leverage by disrupting traditional information circuits through social media and community organizing.