Affective political polarisation in West Africa is deepening as partisan loyalty increasingly overrides national interest. This report explores how affective polarisation, the tendency for opposing political groups to view each other with hostility, undermines social cohesion and trust, weakens democratic institutions, and fuels instability across the region.
Authored by Professor E. Gyimah-Boadi and Dr. Kamal Yakubu, this publication forms part of the Media Foundation for West Africa’s quarterly webinar series on “Polarisation and Democracy in West Africa”, which seeks practical paths toward depolarisation and social cohesion in the region.
Click here to access the report and here to access a recording of the webinar where this publication was first presented.
