Africa’s ageing presidents govern world’s youngest populations
The presidents of Cameroon and Ivory Coast, 92 and 83 respectively, are each seeking to extend decades of rule, reflecting a trend across Africa where some of the world’s oldest leaders govern its youngest populations, often leading to demands for change and accountability from “Gen Z” youth.
Below are facts and figures about some of the continent’s oldest heads of state.
Paul Biya – Cameroon (aged 92)
Biya has ruled since 1982, making him the world’s oldest serving head of state who is not a monarch. His tenure has been marked by centralised governance and constitutional changes to extend his stay. Biya could be declared the winner of the October 12 presidential election, though opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma has declared victory, warning of potential chaos in the nation of 30 million, where the median age is 19.
Jean-Lucien Savi de Tové – Togo (86)
Savi de Tové assumed office last May under a constitutional shift to a parliamentary system, becoming Togo’s oldest president. The shift allowed former president Faure Gnassingbe to continue to lead the government, extending an unbroken dynastic tenure that began when his late father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, came to power in 1967 after a coup. Phosphate-producing Togo has nearly 10 million people with a median age of 19.9 years.
Peter Mutharika – Malawi (85)
Mutharika returned to power in October 2025 after a dramatic political comeback. Malawi, a nation of 22.2 million with a median age of 18.8 years, is grappling with poverty and climate challenges, and calls have grown for economic revival and governance reforms.
Alassane Ouattara – Ivory Coast (83)
Ouattara has led Ivory Coast since 2010, steering post-conflict recovery and economic growth. His controversial bid for a fourth term in the October 25 election has been preceded by protest bans and arrests and exclusions of opposition figures. Ivory Coast has a population of 33 million, with a median age of 18.3.
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – Equatorial Guinea (83)
Obiang has ruled since 1979, making him the world’s longest-serving president. He has presided over an oil boom, which has now peaked, and has been accused of corruption and rights abuses, allegations he denies. As oil revenues decline, Equatorial Guinea’s economy is shrinking. The median age of its nearly 2 million people is 22.
Emmerson Mnangagwa – Zimbabwe (83)
Mnangagwa took power in 2017 after Robert Mugabe was ousted. He has presided over economic turmoil, hyperinflation and allegations of repression, which he denies. A push by his allies for a third term – beyond constitutional limits – has sparked protests in the nation of 17 million, with a median age of 18.
Denis Sassou Nguesso – Republic of Congo (81)
Sassou Nguesso has dominated Congolese politics since 1979, apart from a period of civil war from 1992-97. His rule has been marked by constitutional changes and allegations of electoral fraud, which he denies. The oil-and-gas-producing nation has 6.5 million people, with a median age of 19.5.
Yoweri Museveni – Uganda (81)
Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986, initially bringing stability but later becoming synonymous with authoritarianism and crackdowns on the opposition. Uganda’s population is around 51 million, with a median age of just 17.
Joseph Boakai – Liberia (80)
Boakai became president of Liberia, a nation recovering from civil wars, in January 2024 after defeating ex-footballer and incumbent George Weah. Liberia has a population of 5.7 million, with a median age of 19.2.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune – Algeria (79)
Tebboune has led Algeria since 2019, focusing on fighting corruption and diversifying the economy beyond oil and gas. Critics accuse him of failing to deliver democratic renewal to open up power beyond a tightly-knit elite. Algeria’s 47 million people have a median age of 29.
Ismail Omar Guelleh – Djibouti (77)
Guelleh has led Djibouti’s 1 million people since 1999, exploiting its strategic location to attract foreign military bases and investment. Despite economic gains, his government has been criticised for a lack of political freedom. The median age is 26.
Bola Tinubu – Nigeria (73)
Tinubu became Nigeria’s president in May 2023, pledging economic reforms and anti-corruption measures. Inflation and insecurity bedevil Africa’s most populous country, where the median age of the 234 million people is just 18.
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