African leaders emphasize that despite its demographic potential, Africa suffers from insufficient human capital in both quality and quantity. It is therefore essential for states to invest more in education, training, and employment to fully benefit from long-term growth.
With a median age of 19, Africa is the youngest continent in the world. The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that better integration of youth into the labor market could generate an additional 47 billion dollars for African GDP. However, human capital on the continent, both in quantity and quality, falls below international standards. It is therefore essential for African states to invest heavily in education, school infrastructure, and job creation to harness this potential.
“Will we be able to transform our demography into a dividend, or will we be unable to provide a better future for our next generation? This is the entire issue of development and the challenge of the moment.”
Sidi Ould Tah, AfDB’s President-elect – Mauritania
The president of the AfDB, Sidi Ould Tah, highlights the imperative of making demography a lever for growth. He advocates ambitious training policies, especially technical and vocational, that meet market needs.
“In order for this demographic to be transformed into a dividend, it is imperative to make decisions quickly to prepare future generations to play their role in the global economy and in the African economy through the creation of sufficient jobs for the millions of young Africans entering the labor market each year.”
Sidi Ould Tah, AfDB’s President-elect – Mauritania
Experts and African government officials also affirm that Africa, with its natural and human resources, has all the assets to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Like China and India, the continent could become a major economic power, provided it implements coherent public policies focused on education, training, and youth employment.
