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.

Africa witnessed 12,581 protests and violent demonstration events in 2024, highlighting the continent’s active civic engagement and growing public demand for accountability. North African countries led the wave, with Morocco recording 3,654 protests, more than any other country. This made Morocco not only the continent’s protest hotspot but also a reflection of the region’s long-standing culture of civil mobilisation and political expression. Kenya followed with 2,008 protests, while South Africa and Nigeria recorded 1,715 and 971, respectively — underscoring how social, political, and economic grievances continue to drive public unrest across diverse regions.

Source:

Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED)

Period:

2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Tags
Related Insights

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.

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.

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

Nigeria's Peace Index have worsened since 2008, reaching one of its worst scores in 2024
The 2024 Global Peace Index reveals a decline in peacefulness in 97 countries, the highest since the index began. Nigeria is among the nations affected by regional conflicts and rising violence. With a peace index score of 2.91, Nigeria is facing increasing challenges. A deteriorating peace score impacts foreign investment and economic stability. Global economic losses due to violence reached $19.1 trillion in 2023.

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