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Top 10 youngest African presidents in 2019

A look at Africa’s youngest presidents in 2019, profiling the top 10 youngest heads of state & government in Africa. The youngest is 43 and the oldest is 56.

1 Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia (43)

Abiy Ahmed Ali was born on 15 August 1976 in Beshasha, he became Ethiopia’s prime minister on 2 April 2018. He is married to Zinash Tayachew & has 4 children.

Abiy joined the armed struggle aged 15 & later became a military intelligence officer in the Ethiopian National Defense Force. He has a degree in Computer Engineering, MBA, MA in Leadership, Diploma in Cryptology & a PhD in Peace & Security.

Abiy Ahmed Ali

Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar (45)

Andry Nirina Rajoelina was born on 30 May 1974 in Antsirabe, he became the president of Madagascar on 19 January 2019. He married Mialy Razakandisa in 2000 & they have 3 children.

Rajoelina dropped out of college-aged 19 to start an events company called Show Business. His business empire has expanded to include radio & tv stations.

Andry Nirina Rajoelina

3 Mswati III, eSwatini (51)

Mswati III aka Prince Makhosetive was born on 19 April 1968 at Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital in Manzini, he became the King of eSwatini on 25 April 1986 aged 18 years and 6 days.

Mswati III was the only child of Ntfombi Tfwala & King Sobhuza II who had more than 125 wives. He attended primary school at Masundvwini Primary School and secondary school at Lozitha Palace School. From 1983 to 1986, he attended Sherborne School in north-west Dorset, England.

Mswati III aka Prince Makhosetive

4 George Weah, Liberia (53)

George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah was born on 1 October 1966 in the Clara Town district of Monrovia, he became the president of Liberia on 22 January 2018.

Weah is one of Africa’s greatest footballers who won the African Footballer of the year award three times. He is the only African to win the FIFA World Player of the Year & the Ballon d’Or.

George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah

5 Faure Gnassingbé, Togo (53)

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadém was born on 6 June 1966 in Afagnan, Lacs. He became the president of Togo on 4 May 2005.

Gnassingbé has a degree in Finance from France & an MBA from the USA. He was appointed Minister of Equipment, Mines, Posts, and Telecommunications by his father the late President Eyadéma in 2003 before becoming President in February 2005.

Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé Eyadém

6 Adama Barrow, Gambia 54

Adama Barrow was born on 16 February 1965 in Mankamang Kunda, he became the president of Gambia on 19 January 2017. He is a polygamist with two wives Fatoumatta Bah and Sarjo Mballow.

Barrow worked as a Sales Manager at Gambian energy company before migrating to the UK early 2000s. He worked as a security guard in London whilst studying real estate before returning to Gambia in 2006 & founded Majum Real Estate, and was its CEO until 2016.

Adama Barrow

7 Pierre Nkurunziza, Burundi (55)

Pierre Nkurunziza was born on 18 December 1964 in Bujumbura, he became the president of Burundi on 26 August 2005. He married Denise Bucumi in 1994 & they have 5 children.

Nkurunziza has a degree in Sports Education & is a former teacher. He was appointed Minister for Good Governance in the transitional government of President Domitien Ndayizeye in 2003.

Pierre Nkurunziza

8 Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leone (55)

Julius Maada Bio was born on 12 May 1964 in Tihun, he became the president of Gambia on 4 April 2018. He is married to Fatima Maada Bio & they have 4 children.

Bio is a retired Brigadier General, he participated in the 1992 coup & was the military head of state for 3 months after the 1996 coup before handing over power to an elected president.

Julius Maada Bio

9 Mohammed VI, Morocco (56)

Mohammed VI was born on 21 August 1963 in Rabat, he became the King of Morocco on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father King Hassan II.

Mohammed VI has a Ph.D. in law & was appointed Commander in Chief of the Royal Moroccan Army by his father in 1994. He is married to Salma Bennani & they have two children.

Mohammed VI

10 Felix Tshisekedi, DRC (56)

Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo was born on 13 June 1963 in Kinshasa, he became the president of the DRC on 24 January 2019. He is married to Denise Nyakeru & they have 5 children.

Tshisekedi became leader of UDPS the biggest & oldest opposition party in DRC in 2018 after his father passed away. Before that he was the UDPS National Secretary for external relations.

Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo

11 Danny Faure, Seychelles (57)

Danny Faure was born on 8 May 1962 in Kilembe, Uganda, he became the president of Seychelles on 16 October 2016 after President James Michel resigned. He is a divorced father of four.

Faure has a degree in political science, is a former lecturer and served in various Ministries (Finance, Education, Youth, Trade, ICT e.t.c) before becoming Seychelles VP from 2010 to 2016.

Danny Faure

12 Mohamed Farmajo, Somalia (57)

Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo was born on 11 March 1962 in Mogadishu, he became the president of Somalia on 16 February 2017. He is married to Zeinab Abdi.

Farmajo has a BA in History, MA in Political Science, worked at the Somali embassy in the US & held senior management positions at the Buffalo Municipality, USA. He was Somalia’s Prime Minister from 2010-11 & holds both Somali and American citizenship.

Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo