Violent extremism represents a significant threat to human security in sub-Saharan Africa, and has increasingly emerged in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, in Southern Africa. The region’s youth, peace and security agenda has not kept up with this complex challenge. The youth in Southern Africa are more preoccupied with issues of governance, which shapes their perspectives of solutions to peace-and-security challenges. Broadly speaking, their approach to regional peace and security is informed by the perceived absence of an active armed conflict. Recent research has revealed that as the region’s youth look at peace and security through the lens of governance deficits, they become highly vulnerable to increased violent unrest, as both victims and perpetrators.