Young Africans fear Donald Trump’s dismantling of the US’s flagship aid agency will harm healthcare and disease prevention in their countries, while most also remain concerned about foreign influence.

The youth also continue to support elections and democracy, but a small majority said that a Western-style democracy is not suitable for Africa, the African Youth Survey 2026 found.

Speaking to almost 5,000 Africans between 18 and 24 across 16 countries, this year’s survey is the largest since it was launched in 2020.

Almost half believe the closure of US Agency for International Development (USAID) will negatively affect their country, but three-in-five are optimistic about the future under US President Donald Trump, particularly on military support and security.

The findings come as African countries grapple with the fallout from a sharp reduction in international assistance following cuts from the US and Europe.

The USAID was dismantled by the Trump administration in 2025, cutting programmes that supported health, humanitarian and development work across the continent.

The funding freezes are already having devastating global consequences, according to NGOs and researchers, resulting in hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and the abrupt closure of thousands of health and development projects.

Nine African countries are also set to see their UK bilateral aid cut by more than 80 per cent, under plans to reduce the aid budget from 0.5 to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2029.

Aid agencies, charities and MPs have warned of the impact that such a programme of cuts will have on development programmes.

The majority of young Africans – at four-in-five – say they are concerned about the influence of foreign powers, with China and the US still seen as the most influential. China is more warmly received, but the majority, or nine out of ten, consider the European Union as an ally.

The survey suggests that while Africa’s young generation is not rejecting international engagement, it expects foreign partnerships to deliver tangible improvements to everyday life.

They trust the United Nations also, but want reform and a seat on the Security Council.

Optimism about the continent’s future is rising, however. Almost half of respondents said their country was heading in the right direction, driven in part by stronger confidence in countries including Ghana, Zambia and Ethiopia.

This article has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project