1. Ibrahim Traoré , Burkina Faso– Age: 34
Ibrahim Traoré is a Burkinabé military officer who succeeded Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed as the youngest African head of state on September 30, 2022. Traoré became the leader of Burkina Faso after a coup d’état which ousted interim president Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. At age 34, Traoré is not only Africa’s youngest leader but the world’s youngest currently-serving head of state.
2. Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia – Age: 46
Abiy is the second-youngest President in Africa. He took office as Prime Minister of Ethiopia on April 2, 2018. Abiy, who joined the army when he was 15, later rose to the rank of a military intelligence officer in the Ethiopian National Defense Force. He holds a PhD in Peace and Security, an MBA, an MA in Leadership, a Diploma in Cryptology, and a degree in Computer Engineering.
3. Andry Rajoelina, Madagascar – Age: 48
Andry Nirina Rajoelina is a Malagasy politician and businessman who has been the president of Madagascar since 2019. He was previously president of a provisional government from 2009 to 2014 following a political crisis and military-backed coup. Prior to that, he was the mayor of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital and largest city, for one year.
4. Évariste Ndayishimiye, Burundi – Age: 54
Africa’s fourth youngest President is Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi. On June 28, 2020, Ndayishimiye unveiled his first cabinet and officially began serving a seven-year tenure on June 18, 2020. He reduced the number of cabinet ministers from 21 to 15, mostly by nominating former regime hardliners for important positions. It has been noticed that Ndayishimiye’s administration was less exclusive than that of his predecessor.
5. Mswati III, Swaziland – Age: 54
Mswati III has been the King of Swaziland since he took the throne from his father, Sobhuza II. At 18, he was crowned on April 25, 1986, after being introduced as the crown prince in 1983.
He co-rules the nation as an absolute king alongside his mother, Ntombi Tfwala, who is currently Queen Mother. Mswati III is a proud polygamist with 15 wives as of writing this piece. Although he enjoys respect and popularity in Swaziland, his policies and extravagant lifestyle have sparked local unrest and drawn condemnation from outside.
6. William Ruto – Age: 55
William Ruto is a Kenyan politician who is serving as the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the 11th deputy president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022. He previously served in several cabinet positions such as the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, and as Minister for Higher Education.
7. Faure Gnassingbe, Togo – Age: 56
Since May 4, 2005, Faure Gnassingbe has served as the President of Togo. Before his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema passed on February 5, 2005, he had served in the government.
On April 24, 2005, he won a contentious Presidential election and took the oath of office. In 2010, Gnassingbé was chosen to serve a second term.
According to official results, Gnassingbé won a third term as President in April 2015 by defeating his primary opponent, Jean-Pierre Fabre, by a margin of around 59 percent.
8. George Weah, Liberia – Age: 56
George Weah, a former professional footballer, won the 2017 election and was subsequently elected President of Liberia after defeating Vice President Joseph Boaka. He is now one of the sixth youngest Presidents in Africa and the first ex-pro footballer from an African nation to hold the position.
9. Adama Barrow, Gambia – Age: 57
The third and current President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow is a politician and real estate developer. He became President in 2017 following his victory over Yahya Jammeh in a free and fair election.
10. Letsie III of Lesotho – Age: 59
Lesotho’s current monarch is Letsie III. He took over the reign from his father, Moshoeshoe II after he (the father) was pushed into exile in 1990.
Moshoeshoe II was momentarily restored in 1995, but he passed away in a vehicle accident in the early months of 1996, and Letsie took over once again. The majority of King Letsie’s responsibilities as Lesotho’s constitutional king are ceremonial.
10a. Félix Tshisekedi – Age: 59
Félix Tshisekedi has led the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as President since January 25, 2019. At age 55, he accepted the position. He succeeded his late father, Étienne Tshisekedi as the head of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the largest and oldest political party in DRC.
Sources: Wikipedia and Talk Africana