Patronage Politicking in Africa: A Scoping Review of Emerging Issues of Clientelism and Prebendalism in South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe

Abstract This review examines the dynamics of patronage politics, clientelism and prebendalism in South Africa, Nigeria and Zimbabwe, exploring their historical roots, contemporary manifestations and implications for governance. Drawing on a systematic synthesis of peer-reviewed literature and applying the prisma 2020 framework, we find that patronage politics have evolved in South Africa, reinforcing factionalism and crony capitalism, weakening governance and public sector efficiency. In Nigeria, prebendalism has entrenched corruption and elite resource appropriation and has facilitated its federal structure and oil wealth distribution. Zimbabwe’s political landscape is characterised by entrenched patron–client networks marked by elite capture of institutions, cronyism and unprecedented rent-seeking behaviour that persists despite severe economic constraints. The review highlights the role of historical legacies, socio-political structures and institutional weaknesses in sustaining the impact of patronage on grassroots political engagement and informal resilience mechanisms. There is a need for governance reforms, institutional strengthening and policy innovations to mitigate the effects of clientelism and prebendalism on democratic consolidation and sustainable development in Africa.