Africa is standing at a critical crossroads as the World Bank warns that failure to urgently scale up job creation could worsen youth unrest across the continent. In its latest Africa Pulse report, the global lender said that rapid population growth continues to outpace employment opportunities, leaving millions of young people frustrated and under-employed.
The report noted that while Africa’s economy is recovering, most new jobs are emerging in low-productivity informal sectors, offering little stability or career growth. It warned that the continent’s working-age population is set to double by 2050, putting immense pressure on labour markets already struggling to absorb new entrants.
Across several major economies, young Africans—particularly Generation Z—are increasingly disillusioned, questioning whether economic growth is truly translating into meaningful opportunities. “Gen Z frustration reflects deep structural labour market challenges,” the report stated, cautioning that without inclusive growth and formal-sector job creation, political and social tensions could intensify.
Although sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth is projected to rise from 3.5 per cent in 2024 to 3.8 per cent in 2025, the World Bank said the expansion remains insufficiently job-intensive. Only one in four workers holds a wage-paying role, with most people surviving in small, informal businesses that offer little upward mobility.
To address this, the report outlined four key policy priorities: improving the business climate, aligning education with market needs, investing in infrastructure and energy, and promoting job-rich industries such as manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism, renewable energy, and digital services.
The Bank described Africa’s situation as both a warning and an opportunity. While growing frustration has already triggered protests in some countries, decisive reforms could transform the continent’s vast youth population into a powerful engine for innovation and economic growth.
“If Africa acts boldly, its young people can drive prosperity and productivity,” the report concluded. “But if leaders delay, hope could quickly turn into unrest.”
