Creating a school-to-work pipeline through partnerships between education institutions and business, backed by policy, can boost employment.
Africa is home to the largest youth population in the world. More than 60% of Africa’s 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’s young people (aged 15 to 24) will live in Africa, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2022.
Africa’s “youth bulge” 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.
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.
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 — equivalent to one for every second person on the continent — the ability to connect, mobilise, and organise is unparalleled, increasing the pressure on governments to deliver or risk growing instability.
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.
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.
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 — through social or political networks — 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.
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.
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.
Another promising initiative is Kenya’s 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.
According to research by the World Bank, skills investment in Sub-Saharan Africa should aim to achieve three policy goals: accelerate overall productivity growth (prosperous economies); promote economic inclusion (inclusive societies); and ensure the adaptability of the workforce in the 21st century (resilient economies and individuals).
Current policies and institutions in Africa need to be more strategically aligned to balance the immediate needs of a largely agrarian or self-employed workforce against the demands of a rapidly evolving global economy that increasingly values digital and managerial skills. This requires stronger partnerships between education and training institutions and the private sector, supported by policymakers who create incentives and frameworks to reinforce these linkages in the school-to-work pipeline.
Simultaneously, governments must support informal workers, who make up the largest portion of Africa’s workforce, through social protection programmes and pathways to formalisation. These should include access to finance and credit, simplified business registration platforms and tax incentives for micro and small enterprises to gradually bring them into the formal sector.
Africa’s youth represent its greatest asset. If governments, civil society, education institutions and the private sector can work together to ensure access to quality education, relevant training, and decent employment opportunities, the continent could unlock a wave of innovation, prosperity, and stability. But if this window of opportunity is missed, the consequences could be severe, not just for Africa, but for the world.
Jean-Luc Stalon is the resident representative at the United Nations Development Programme based in the Central African Republic.