ABSTRACT
In Africa, digital mobilisation has transformed political and social movements, encouraging youth-led protests and fostering cross-border solidarity. This chapter examines case studies, including #EndSARS in Nigeria, #RejectFinanceBill2024 in Kenya, and #FeesMustFall in South Africa, to evaluate the effectiveness of hashtag activism in raising awareness, shaping public discourse, and pressuring governments. While hashtag activism amplifies voices and sparks mobilisation, its long-term impact remains debated. Drawing on Couldry’s concept of voice and Cammaerts’ work on mediated activism, this chapter investigates how digital movements turn self-representation into collective political expression. It also examines slacktivism, assessing the lasting effects of hashtag campaigns, their capacity to drive meaningful policy change, and how they compare with traditional offline activism. African digital activism is situated within broader debates on participation, citizenship, and communicative power, highlighting the intersections of technology, youth culture, and political agency. It analyses how digital platforms serve as contested spaces of representation, surveillance, and resistance, revealing both their democratising potential and structural limitations. Ultimately, this chapter argues that hashtag activism is an evolving repertoire of contention, redefining civic engagement in contemporary Africa and emphasising the rearticulation of voice, visibility, and collective agency within the digital public sphere.
