African Heads of State List (Presidents, Prime Ministers & Kings)
By gregkawere on 01/08/2024
The 2024 African Heads of State list by Povo News explores the ages, education, and time in office of Africa’s Presidents, Prime Ministers, and Kings as of 1 August 2024.
Titles of African Heads of State
The majority of African heads of state are titled Presidents, totaling 48 (91%), followed by Prime Ministers at 4 (6%), and Kings at 2 (2%) reflecting a preference for presidential systems over monarchies.
The age of African Heads of State
Only 11% of African Heads of State are under 50, while the overwhelming majority—89%—are over 50, highlighting the continued dominance of the older generation in African politics.
Oldest African Head of State:91-year-old Cameroon President Paul Biya
Youngest African Head of State: 35-year-old Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré
Average age: 68 years
Mode age: 64 years
Range age: 55 years
Educational background of African Heads of State
The most common educational qualification among African Heads of State is a bachelor’s degree (33%) followed by military (20%), high school (15%), PhD (13%), Masters’s degree (11%), and Artisans (2%).
African Heads of State Time in Office
The majority of African heads of state (61.7%, or 29 out of 47) serve for 5 years or less. Notably, Namibian President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has been in office for just 4 months.
In contrast, only 23.4% (11 out of 47) of African heads of state have served for 11 years or more, with Paul Biya of Cameroon holding the record at 42 years in power.
The prevalence of shorter terms suggests frequent leadership changes, while longer tenures often reflect leaders with significant control over political systems and limited democratic space, facilitating extended rule.