Quiz: African Presidents
Test your knowledge of Africa's state leaders
Quiz: African Presidents
Test your knowledge of Africa's state leaders
About 300 people have held the office of president across Africa.
How much do you know about these heads of state? Test your knowledge on our presidential quiz.
1. Who is the longest serving African president currently in office?
A. Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea
B. Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria
C. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea
D. Yoweri Museveni of Uganda
Obiang, 73, has led the West African country Equatorial Guinea since 1979.
2. What portion of African countries are led by presidents?
A. 17%
B. 53%
C. 94%
D. 100%
Most, but not all, African countries have presidents. Many also have prime ministers, and a few are lead by monarchs.
3. How many women have led African countries?
A. None
B. One
C. Two
D. Nine
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (Liberia) and Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim (Mauritius) were elected president. Joyce Hilda Banda (Malawi) was appointed president after the death of her predecessor. Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic) was elected head of state by a political body. Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri (South Africa), Rose Francine Rogombé (Gabon) and Agnès Monique Ohsan Bellepeau (Mauritius) served as acting or interim president of their respective countries. Ruth Perry served as Liberia’s interim head of state from 1996 to 1997 and was the first woman to lead an African country. Sylvie Kinigi (Burundi) became the acting President after the assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye in 1993.
4. What’s the average age of sitting African presidents?
A. 45
B. 55
C. 65
D. 75
Despite having the world’s youngest population, Africa’s presidents are older than than average, with a mean age of 65.
5. This man ran and lost four presidential campaigns before his election in 2000 at the age of 73.
A. Joseph Kabila of the DRC
B. Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia
C. Thabo Mbeki of South Africa
D. Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal
Longtime opposition figure Wade was elected president of Senegal in 2000 in a second-round runoff election.
6. Which country has had more than one president?
A. Djibouti
B. Eritrea
C. South Sudan
D. Western Sahara
Djibouti has had two presidents. Eritrea, South Sudan and Western Sahara have each had just one.
7. At the age of 25, this man became the youngest president in African history in 1992.
A. Jacob Zuma of South Africa
B. Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi
C. Valentine Strasser of Sierra Leone
D. Joseph Kabila of the DRC
In 1992, Strasser, a junior military officer, became the modern world’s youngest head of state when he seized power in a coup.
8. Which country has had the most presidents?
A. Ethiopia
B. Liberia
C. Sierra Leone
D. Zimbabwe
Liberia has had 24 presidents, more than double any other African nation.
9. Who made history in 2014 when he became the first white president of a Sub-Saharan African country since the end of apartheid.
A. Guy Scott of Zambia
B. F.W. De Klerk of South Africa
C. Edgar Lungu of Zambia
D. Ian Smith of Zimbabwe
Guy Scott, the vice president of Zambia, ascended to the presidency following the death of Michael Sata.
10. Established in 2007, the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership is given to an African president who does what?
A. Promotes internet connectivity
B. Leaves office willingly following a constitutionally-mandated term limit or an election loss
C. Promotes religious freedom
D. Protects a free press and the freedom of expression
The prize, established by Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim, offers a $5 million initial payment, plus $200,000 a year for life to former heads of state determined to have developed their country and who willingly left office.
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