Democracy up for sale: Africa moves to curb money politics at high-level Accra conference

Participants at the High-Level Regional Convening on the Financialization of Politics in AfricaAfrican leaders, governance experts, anti-corruption campaigners and civil society actors have called for urgent reforms to reduce the growing influence of money in politics, warning that unchecked political financing is weakening democracy, excluding competent citizens from public life and fuelling corruption across the continent.

The convening identified several solutions to the growing financialisation of politics, including the adoption of comprehensive political party and campaign finance laws, mandatory disclosure of campaign donations, enforceable spending limits, regulation of party primaries, transparent public funding for political parties, and stronger sanctions for breaches.

The meeting brought together senior state officials, parliamentarians, anti-corruption institutions, electoral management bodies, researchers, development partners and civil society organisations to examine how rising campaign costs, opaque political donations, vote buying, illicit financing and weak disclosure systems are threatening democratic integrity in Africa.