India leads the world in protest events with 22.1K, while Morocco leads in Africa, making it into the top 15 globally

  • India recorded the highest number of protests and demonstration events globally in 2024 (22.1K).
  • The United States followed with 10.5K protest events.
  • Yemen (8.2K) ranked third, reflecting the instability and ongoing conflict-driven unrest.
  • Pakistan (7.3K) and France (6.9K) rounded out the top five, underscoring the diverse sources of civic agitation.
  • Morocco (3.7K) was Africa’s leading country for protest activity, placing 12th globally.
  • The global total of protest and violent demonstration events reached 153,573 in 2024.

India led in global protests in 2024 by a wide margin, recording over 22,100 protest and violent demonstration events, according to ACLED data. This figure is more than double that of the United States, which ranked second with 10,500 events, highlighting India’s vibrant yet turbulent landscape of civil activism. Yemen, Pakistan, and France completed the top five, each reflecting distinct social, political, and economic pressures that drive citizens to the streets.

Beyond India, the data reveal how protest activity is spread across both developed and developing economies. Countries like France (6.9K) and Germany (4.7K) continue to experience intense labour and social movement cultures, while Mexico (6.0K) and Turkey (5.9K) illustrate growing regional unrest. On the African continent, Morocco (3.7K) stands out as the only country in the global top 15.

Source:

Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED)

Period:

2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
Protest activity in Nigeria increased significantly during Goodluck Jonathan's tenure, growing from 53 in 2011 to 696 in 2015
  • Nigeria recorded 971 protests and violent demonstrations in 2024.
  • Protest numbers have grown 50-fold since 2000, signalling a consistent rise in public mobilisation.
  • The most significant surge occurred between 2011 and 2015, under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
  • Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure saw the highest number of recorded protests — peaking at 1,008 in 2020.
  • Despite a change in leadership, protest activity remains elevated under Bola Tinubu.
The number of protests in Kenya skyrocketed to a record 2,008 events in 2024, marking a seven-fold increase from the 2022 total of 239
  • Kenya recorded 2,008 protests in 2024, the highest in its modern history.
  • The number of protest events increased seven-fold between 2022 and 2024.
  • Social media has become a major mobilisation tool for civic expression.
  • Rising cost of living, taxation, and unemployment remain the top drivers of unrest.
North African countries led in protests in Africa, topped by Morocco, which recorded 3,654 protests in 2024
  • Africa recorded 12,581 protests and violent demonstrations in 2024.
  • Morocco led the continent with 3,654 protests, far ahead of others.
  • Kenya ranked second with 2,008 protests.
  • South Africa (1,715) and Nigeria (971) followed, driven by economic and political frustrations.
  • North African countries, such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya, accounted for a significant share of protests.
  • The bottom 10 countries, including Lesotho, Gambia, and Seychelles, recorded fewer than 10 protests each.
  • Djibouti and Eritrea reported zero protests.
Mauritius is the most peaceful African country among 47 countries ranked in 2025, with a score of 1.586
  • Mauritius leads Africa’s Peace Index with the lowest (best) score of 1.586, showing its stability and strong governance.
  • Southern Africa is well represented in the rankings with Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar, and Zambia in the top 10.
  • West Africa also performs strongly, represented by The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Senegal, and Liberia.
  • The scores are tightly clustered (1.586–1.939), showing that Africa’s most peaceful states are relatively close in performance despite regional differences.
Military and internal security spending makes up to about 74% of the total economic impact of violence
  • The world spent $19.1 trillion on violence in 2023, accounting for 13.5% of global GDP.
  • Military and internal security spending make up 74% of this cost.
  • Homicides alone cost the global economy $1.34 trillion, highlighting the economic toll of crime beyond loss of life.
  • Private security is now a $1.15 trillion industry, as businesses and individuals invest heavily in safety.
  • Violent crime resulted in $760 billion in economic losses, affecting productivity, businesses, and legal systems worldwide.
  • Spending on security competes with development needs, diverting resources from education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
  • The cost per person globally is $2,380, illustrating how violence impacts individuals, not just governments or corporations.
Mauritius is the most peaceful nation in sub-Saharan Africa and ranks 22nd globally, with a Global Peace Index (GPI) of 1.577.
  • Mauritius leads in Africa, ranking 22nd globally, with the best GPI score in sub-Saharan Africa (1.577).
  • Iceland continues to lead as the most peaceful nation in the world with an impressive GPI of 1.112.
  • Madagascar and Botswana rank 2nd and 3rd in sub-Saharan Africa, with GPI scores of 1.838 and 1.863, respectively.
  • The peace gap is evident, with sub-Saharan Africa’s top scorer, Mauritius, trailing behind global leaders.
  • Despite making the sub-Saharan top ten, Angola ranks 72nd globally, highlighting room for significant improvement.
  • Europe dominates the global top ten peace rankings, showcasing the impact of regional stability and cooperation.
  • Nigeria ranks 38 in the continent and 147 worldwide with a GPI of 2.907
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved