Youth unemployment in Africa has reached a critical tipping point, with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimating that 27 per cent of young people across the continent are currently unemployed. Even more alarming, over 70 million youth are neither employed nor enrolled in any educational or training institutions, numbers that might be signalling a deepening social and economic emergency.
Yet, Africa's youth population continues to grow and is expected to double by 2050.
While this demographic shift is often described as an opportunity for accelerated development, the lack of access to jobs and relevant skills training is putting pressure on governments, educational institutions, and the private sector.
The ILO Regional Director for Africa, Fanfan Rwanyindo called for urgent and coordinated efforts to create jobs, address structural barriers to employment and strengthen social cohesion. "This is not just a labour market challenge.
