A new survey reveals that a quarter of young Africans believe cuts to US aid could have a positive impact, suggesting that a reduction in foreign funding might compel leaders to confront and resolve domestic issues. The African Youth Survey, which interviewed almost 5,000 individuals aged 18 to 24 across 16 African nations, found that 11% were uncertain about the impact.
Optimism regarding the cuts was particularly high in Ghana and Nigeria, where 41% and 40% respectively of young people shared this view. Liberia also showed significant optimism at 37%.
Conversely, nearly half (46%) of African youth surveyed anticipated a damaging impact from USAID closures on their countries, with healthcare services and disease prevention identified as the most affected areas. This concern was highest in Mozambique (76%), followed by Kenya (63%) and Rwanda (63%), where young people believe the cuts will disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
The Trump administration announced in early 2025 the elimination of over 90% of USAID's foreign contracts and $60bn in overall US assistance globally. Other nations, including Britain, France, and Germany, have also reduced their aid budgets.