Africa is the Next Big Skills Market – But the Youth Needs Education and Opportunities

Africa is the next big skills market – but youth need education and opportunities.

The developing entrepreneurial movement among African youth is being increasingly recognised. Providing meaningful training and job opportunities for them can improve the quality of life of all the continent’s citizens, and counter poverty and illiteracy rates.

According to the World Bank, there will be a 70% rise in Africa’s working population (ages 15 to 64) between 2015 and 2035. The 15- to 24-year-old age group is estimated to increase by approximately six million annually over the next decade, making the environment ripe for new ideas, technology, and growth. But obstacles such as poor education, limited access to resources, cultural barriers and underdeveloped infrastructure stand in the way.

This article was originally published on africaportal.