Africa is home to the largest youth population in the world. More than 60% of Africa\u2019s population is under the age of 25, equivalent to more than 800 million young people. This number is expected to grow and, by 2050, more than a third of the world\u2019s young people (aged 15 to 24) will live in Africa, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2022. <\/p>\n
Africa\u2019s \u201cyouth bulge\u201d presents an opportunity: if properly harnessed, this demographic dividend could drive economic growth, entrepreneurship and innovation, expanded consumer markets, and rapid urban development. But reaping these benefits is only possible if the right investments and policies are made, particularly in education and skills training, infrastructure, and governance. <\/p>\n
Today, Africa stands at a crossroads. According to the African Development Bank, nearly 420 million youth aged 15 to 35 are unemployed and discouraged, and another third are vulnerably employed. Only one in six hold formal wage jobs. Many are stuck in vulnerable or insecure informal employment with limited prospects for upward mobility.<\/p>\n
The consequences of inaction are already visible from youth-led movements such as #EndSARS in Nigeria, which evolved into protests against economic mismanagement and corruption, to anti-corruption protests in Uganda. With more than 670 million mobile phones in circulation \u2014 equivalent to one for every second person on the continent \u2014 the ability to connect, mobilise, and organise is unparalleled, increasing the pressure on governments to deliver or risk growing instability. <\/p>\n
The issue of youth unemployment is now one of the most pressing issues facing African leaders. If left unaddressed, it threatens to entrench cycles of intergenerational poverty, drive civil unrest and, in some contexts, create conditions that extremists can exploit. But there is a growing awareness that the tide can be turned through targeted, forward-looking policies.<\/p>\n
Some African countries are taking charge with targeted policies and programmes aimed at promoting youth employment. For example, the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme implemented by the United Nations Development Programme provides a win-win opportunity for host organisations by accruing zero recruitment costs to provide a 12-month placement and by cutting lead time on resources spent recruiting entry-level jobs while also supporting fresh graduates by connecting them to work opportunities. This enables them to translate theoretical knowledge gained in college into transferrable skills required by the labour market. <\/p>\n
Such programmes also help level the playing field, particularly in countries as competitive as Nigeria, which has more than 600,000 graduates from university each year, and where opportunities often favour individuals with greater access \u2014 through social or political networks \u2014 including those who can cover the financial cost of experiential learning (given that most internships are unpaid). Such programmes represent a blueprint that can be replicated in countries with a vibrant private sector such as Kenya and South Africa. <\/p>\n
In Rwanda, technical and vocational education and training reforms aim to institutionalise a coordinated approach to addressing the mismatch between education and market demands by co-developing curriculum with industry inputs, mandating internships and apprenticeships in private firms and setting up mechanisms for tracking graduate employment outcomes. This has resulted in 67% of graduates being employed within six months, according to the Rwanda Workforce Development Authority in 2019. <\/p>\n
In other countries, investments in expanding access to primary and secondary education by eliminating tuition fees or providing cash incentives to families for sustained enrollment have made a difference. Kenya, Malawi and Uganda saw significant increases in school enrollment after eliminating tuition fees for primary and secondary education. These efforts support a solid literacy and numeracy base necessary for future workforce readiness.<\/p>\n
Another promising initiative is Kenya\u2019s Ajira Digital programme, which was developed in partnership with the government, private sector (Master Card) and learning institutions to train youth in digital freelancing skills and connect them to employment opportunities. Since its launch, the programme has supported more than a million youth to be trained, mentored and earn income in the gig economy. <\/p>\n