Experts are sounding the alarm over the growth of deep misogyny presented as self-help on social media, with a rising group of male influencers gaining traction across Africa.
The trend is not limited to Europe and the US, where figures such as Andrew Tate, Myron Gaines and Sneako have become prominent voices in the online manosphere. Across Africa, too, a number of men are drawing audiences by blending advice on masculinity, dating and fitness with harmful anti-women messages.
Africa is home to more than 400 million people aged between 15 and 35, making it a large and highly connected audience for social media personalities. As in other parts of the world, online communities aimed at young men are finding ways to reach people who may be looking for guidance on relationships, identity and self-improvement.
The manosphere is a loose network of online groups and influencers who claim to help men deal with their problems. In practice, however, these spaces often promote misogynistic ideas and reinforce damaging attitudes towards women. What can appear at first glance to be straightforward lifestyle content may instead carry a more aggressive ideological message.
Sunita Caminha, who leads UN Women’s work on ending violence against women and girls in east and southern Africa, said she first began noticing the presence of the manosphere in Africa about five years ago. She believes its influence has increased since then.
“Research and data that keeps coming out is very consistent [in] showing this is an alarming issue in different countries and contexts across the continent,” she said.
That warning reflects wider concern among gender experts and campaigners, who say the language used by some influencers can make extreme views seem normal, even attractive, to young men. By presenting themselves as mentors or lifestyle coaches, these figures can gain trust while spreading contempt for women under the guise of personal development.
The issue has become part of a broader debate about how social media amplifies harmful ideas. As audiences grow and platforms reward attention, messages that provoke anger, resentment or blame can travel quickly. In that environment, misogynistic content can be reframed as confidence-building advice or a blueprint for success.
While the specific personalities gaining traction vary from country to country, the underlying pattern is similar: a network of online voices offering simple answers to complicated social pressures. Experts say that combination makes the movement difficult to dismiss, especially when its language overlaps with familiar concerns around status, dating and self-worth.
The growth of this online culture has prompted fresh concern about how young men are being influenced across the continent. With the manosphere gaining visibility, campaigners warn that more work is needed to challenge the ideas it spreads and to prevent misogyny from being normalized as lifestyle advice.
As the conversation around online masculinity continues to spread, Africa is increasingly part of the same global pattern seen elsewhere: a digital ecosystem where harmful gender politics can be packaged as confidence, discipline and success.
