A Warm Welcome, Not a Carte Blanche: Young Africans on Russia and Foreign Influence
The 2026 African Youth Survey Finds 54% of Gen-Z Africans See Russia as Influential, while 80% Worry About Foreign Influence Over Their Countries
Article Written by Joyce Wambura
As Vladimir Putin opens the Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28, 2026, the latest findings from the 2026 African Youth Survey reveal a striking contradiction: Russia is winning favorable reviews from young Africans, even as four in five express concern about the influence of foreign powers over their countries.
The figures offer an unusually clear view of the reception Moscow can expect from the continent’s next generation. A majority of those surveyed, 54%, say Russia exercises some or a lot of influence in their country, a ten-percentage-point rise from 44% in 2024. Russia now stands ahead of France, whose perceived influence has fallen to 47%.
The response is also favorable. Among those who identify Russia as influential, 83% describe that influence as very or somewhat positive.
On a separate measure, 86% regard Russia as a strong or somewhat of an ally. The findings put Russia among the foreign powers viewed warmly by many young Africans, although China remains more highly rated.
The African Youth Survey was commissioned by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation and conducted by PSB Insights. Its 2026 edition involved 4,901 face-to-face interviews with 18- to 24-year-olds in 16 African countries during March. First launched in 2020, the research has now reached 28 countries and conducted 18,882 interviews over four waves.
Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder and Commissioner of the African Youth Survey, commented:
“Russia has achieved something that would have been difficult to imagine a few years ago. It has overtaken France in perceived influence, and large numbers of young Africans now see it as an ally. Those figures are real and deserve to be taken seriously. Other capitals ignore them at their peril. But approval is not a blank cheque. Africa’s young people welcome partners who can help them build their future, not foreign powers who expect to control it. They want to know who benefits from the deals being signed, who owns the resources and whether promises of security and investment lead to a better life for Africans.”
The enthusiasm has an important qualification. Eighty percent of respondents say they are concerned about the influence of foreign powers on their country, compared with 72% in 2024. That unease exists alongside positive views of individual countries rather than replacing them.
The concern is particularly high in Mozambique (91%), South Africa (88%) and Liberia (85%). Even in Burkina Faso, where the recognition of Russian influence reaches 95%, nearly three-quarters (72%) are concerned about foreign influence generally.
The survey did not ask respondents whether they distrust Russia’s motives specifically. Its findings should not be presented as a verdict on Moscow’s intentions.
They do, however, show that a favorable view of Russia is entirely compatible with broader anxiety about what outside powers may want in return for their involvement.
There are reasons why the motives of foreign partners warrant scrutiny. An analysis published this month by the Swedish Defense Research Agency says Russia’s military engagement in Africa serves both strategic ambitions and practical interests, including access to natural resources. The European Parliamentary Research Service has also identified mining, energy and military objectives in Moscow’s African strategy. These are independent assessments of Russia’s activities, not survey findings about what young Africans believe.
It is important to qualify that favorability of Russia is far from uniform. The survey finds striking differences in Russia’s perceived influence. Burkina Faso leads all 16 surveyed countries, with 95% saying Russia has some or a lot of influence. Congo Brazzaville follows on 69% and Chad on 65%. All three countries have developed closer diplomatic, economic or military ties with Moscow in recent years, as noted in the survey’s discussion of the findings.
At the other end of the scale, just 24% of young Liberians and 26% of young Somalis identify Russia as influential. The 71-point gap between Burkina Faso and Liberia is a reminder that African attitudes towards Moscow cannot be reduced to one continental position.
At the Moscow summit, trade and security are on the agenda, while Russian involvement in the Sahel has expanded through security relationships and military contractors. The Associated Press has reported that Russian military engagement has included Africa Corps operations following the earlier presence of the Wagner group. Against that backdrop, the survey indicates broad acceptance of foreign partnerships but also clear expectations about the terms on which those partnerships should be conducted.
What does Africa's Gen-Z expect from foreign powers?
The strongest demand is for a practical return. Asked which qualities matter most when choosing an international ally, 43% select the capacity to invest in their country’s infrastructure and economy. Respect for natural resources follows on 39%, with democratic values and a strong human rights record, and respect for sovereignty and non-interference, each chosen by 34%.
Technology and knowledge transfer is cited by 30%, and military or security assistance by 29%. Just 15% put shared history or cultural ties among their leading considerations. The figures suggest that Moscow, like all foreign partners, will be judged against the economic and political interests of the countries it wishes to engage.
More than half of respondents (55%) prefer alliances that deliver trade and investment even when the partner has a different political system. Another 42% prefer countries that share similar values and systems of government, even if those partners are less effective at delivering practical benefits. The choice is not simply between Russia and the West. It is between relationships that work for Africans and those that do not.
Three in five (60%) believe their country should forge strong alliances with one or two major global powers to secure long-term advantages, while 37% prefer neutrality. The willingness to engage is substantial; so is the desire to retain control over the terms of engagement.
Within this context, the two-day Russia–Africa Summit taking place on October 28 and October 29 offers Moscow an opportunity to deepen its relationships with African governments. But the African Youth Survey suggests that diplomatic visibility and public approval are only part of the calculation. Young Africans place a high value on tangible investment, on safeguarding natural resources and on preventing outsiders from dictating domestic affairs.
What Russia promises in Moscow will matter less to this generation than whether the resulting partnerships strengthen African economies, create opportunities and leave African countries in control of their own choices.
Other essential findings of the report include:
70% believe the world is becoming more divided and dangerous, rather than more cooperative
81% identify the United States as influential in their country, with China close behind on 79%
54% view Russia as influential, whereas the number for France is 47%
73% say democracy is always preferable to any other form of government
80% support reforming the UN Security Council to include permanent African representation
Read the full 2026 African Youth Survey here: https://zbek.sharepoint.com/sites/Zebek/Shared%20Documents/Forms/
What are your thoughts? Please share this article with your comments.
Joyce Wambura is a spokesperson for the African Youth Survey and Zebek, a global strategy and communications advisory firm based in the UK.
Comments