The phrase “Africa is rising” has been used over the past decade to describe the continent’s economic trajectory. The steady growth in foreign direct investment across Africa indicates that businesses and investors around the world see real opportunities to generate profits. However, leading CEOs and business executives agree there is much more involved in uplifting a continent for the long term.
The real indicators of Africa rising must be reflected in its people by the development of the continent’s workforce. The reality is that while great strides are being made in many areas, the continent greatly lacks a pipeline of local talent that can be employed in the ever-increasing number of businesses staking ground across the continent.
With 65 percent of Africa’s total population under 35, the most valuable resource throughout Africa may be its youth population. Over the past 20 years, Africa has accounted for 20 percent of the world’s working-age population growth, and if current trends continue, the McKinsey Global Institute predicts Africa will have the largest global workforce, surpassing China and India. This large group of workers is a blessing if properly leveraged, and a curse if not. And while the African workforce is becoming better educated, much is still to be done to ensure the skills needed by businesses operating in Africa meet the demand.
About the author
Emma Green
Emma Green is programs manager at the Initiative for Global Development. Based in Johannesburg, she is building IGD operations on the ground in Africa and supervising the delivery and implementation of impact assessments, Green also leads IGD's skills development and agriculture initiatives on the continent. Prior to joining the organization, she was project manager for Pearson Education in South Africa.
