Based on data from 33 African countries surveyed in 2021/2023, the new report shows that most citizens have no objection to living next door to people from different ethnic backgrounds and are open to interethnic marriages within their own families. However, many express low levels of trust in people from other ethnic groups as well as in people from other religions and outsiders beyond family and community networks.
The report also shows that Africans are likely to prioritise their national identity over their ethnic one or to feel allegiance to both equally. Only a small minority put their ethnic identity first. But a growing number of citizens report that their government treats members of their ethnic group unfairly.
Key findings
- On average across 33 countries surveyed in 2021/2023, two in 10 Africans (21%) say they trust people from other ethnic groups “a lot,” while 36% trust them “somewhat” (Figure 1).
- But fully nine out of 10 citizens have no objection to living next door to people from different ethnic backgrounds (90%) (Figure 2) and are open to interethnic marriages within their own families (89%) (Figure 3).
- Four in 10 Africans (41%) feel more connected to their national than their ethnic identity, compared to just 14% who prioritise their ethnic over their national identity; the remaining 45% are equally attached to both (Figure 4).
- An overwhelming majority (92%) of Mauritanians feel primarily connected to their national identity, followed by 79% in Guinea and 69% in Congo-Brazzaville. A majority take this position in eight countries.
- Majorities are equally attached to both identities in 11 countries, led by Liberians (71%), Ghanaians (67%), Ugandans (67%), and Batswana (65%).
- Expressing primary allegiance to one’s ethnic identity is a minority position in all countries, reaching a high of about one in four respondents in just three: Nigeria (27%), South Africa (26%), and Ethiopia (24%).
- Across 25 countries surveyed consistently since Round 5 (2011/2013), there has been a 12-percentage-point decrease in those primarily attached to their national identity, alongside an 8-point increase in those who identify equally with both identities. There has also been a modest increase – by 4 points – in preference for ethnic identity, although it remains a minority position (Figure 5).
- Four in 10 Africans (41%) report that members of their ethnic group are “sometimes,” “often,” or “always” treated unfairly by their government because of their ethnicity. Across 25 countries, perceptions of ethnic discrimination have increased by 8 percentage points since 2016/2018 (Figure 6).
Afrobarometer surveys
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries have been completed since 1999. Round 9 surveys (2021/2023) cover 39 countries.
Afrobarometer’s national partners conduct face-to-face interviews in the language of the respondent’s choice that yield country-level results with margins of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
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