Six African presidents, military leaders below age of 50

Africa has been a prominent continent whose administrations are largely controlled by an elderly demographic. Not only that, the continent has several presidents and leaders who have continued to remain in office for many years. 

However, with the new shift, the continent is rewriting its history by producing presidents and military leaders below 50. While some of these leaders got into power by force – through a coup d’etat, the recent election and swearing-in of a 44-year-old Faye as Senegal’s youngest president signalled that electing young representatives is slowly becoming an acceptable idea in the administration of African countries.

In this piece, we take a look at six presidents and military leaders who are below the age of 50 years at the moment:

1. Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso (Age 36)

Ibrahim Traoré assumed the roles of a military and interim leader in Burkina Faso on September 30, 2022. He seized power from the former interim president, Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, in a coup d’état at 34. Born on March 14, 1988, Traoré, at 36, is the youngest serving president in Africa.

2. Mahamat Deby, Chad (Age 39)

Mahamat Idriss “Kaka” Déby Itno, a four-star military general, currently holds the position of transitional president in Chad. Born on April 4, 1984, he assumed the role of president of the Transitional Military Council on April 20, 2021. His rise to power occurred following the death of his father, the late Chadian President Idriss Déby, who was killed in action while leading troops in the Northern Chad offensive. He stands as the second youngest serving leader in Africa.

3. Assimi Goïta, Mali (Age 41)

Assimi Goïta, a military officer, has been interim President of Mali since May 28, 2021. Goïta assumed leadership in Mali following the military coup he orchestrated against former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in 2020. He led the National Committee for the Salvation of the People. Born in 1983, at 41 years old, he ranks as the third youngest serving African leader.

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4. Mamady Doumbouya, Guinea (Age 44)

A military officer with experience in the Special Forces Group and the French Foreign Legion, Mamady Doumbouya has been leading Guinea as its interim president since October 1, 2021. Doumbouya took power through a coup d’état on September 5, 2021, replacing former president Alpha Condé. At 44 years old, he’s one of the youngest leaders in Africa.

5. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal (Age 44)

Making history, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a lawyer and former tax inspector, became Senegal’s youngest president on April 2nd, 2024. Stepping in for disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko, Faye secured the presidency at 44. This victory makes him Senegal’s fifth president, Africa’s youngest democratically elected leader, and the continent’s fifth youngest overall.

6. Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia (Age 47)

Abiy Ahmed is a politician who has been the third Prime Minister of Ethiopia since 2018. He has led the Prosperity Party since 2019. Ahmed, a computer engineer and former military officer, was honoured with the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize for his dedication to peace and international cooperation, particularly for his pivotal role in resolving the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. Born August 15, 1976, he is the sixth youngest African leader.