CONTRIBUTORS
Alvin Joseph Kimani
Policy and Advocacy Officer
Davis Muli Musyoki
Communications Officer
Young Africans face many challenges, including limited educational and employment opportunities, health disparities, and barriers to civic participation. Despite these, young people have immense potential and can contribute to a country’s socio-economic growth and sustainable development. In 2024, African Youth Day – November 1st, centers on empowering youth through entrepreneurship, skills development, and education, all of which are integral to the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
Africa has one of the world’s youngest populations, with over 60% of the continent’s population under 25. This demographic presents both a remarkable opportunity and a substantial challenge. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), young people in Africa have the potential to drive the continent’s economy, but only if they are given the necessary skills, resources, and support to succeed. “Africa’s youth are its greatest asset,” a report from the AfDB emphasizes, noting that young people hold the keys to transforming the continent’s economic, social, and cultural fabric.
The World Bank also reported that youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa remains a pressing issue, with many young people engaged in informal, low-wage, or low-skill jobs that don’t match their potential. Furthermore, a study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicates that nearly 75% of young Africans work in the informal economy, with limited economic mobility or job security prospects. A recent report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) also revealed that nearly 12 million young Africans enter the labor market each year. Still, only 3 million jobs are created annually, leading to high youth unemployment rates across the continent (UNDP, 2024).
In an attempt to solve this, entrepreneurship has emerged as a powerful avenue for African youth to create economic opportunities. The African Union’s Youth Employment Strategy highlights that “youth entrepreneurship can drive job creation, innovation, and economic resilience across the continent” (AU, 2023).
The challenge is clear: Africa, with its immense youth population, has the potential to unleash unprecedented economic growth and development. How can we tap into this potential?
The African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) has long supported the youth and even has ‘Youth and Transition to Work’ as an area of focus under its Human Development theme. In 2019, Mastercard Foundation and APHRC prepared a paper on Alternative Education and Return Pathways for Out-of-School Youth in Sub-Saharan Africa-: This background paper was prepared as part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Secondary Education in Africa (SEA) initiative. APHRC’s Education and Youth Empowerment (EYE) unit conducted the study seeking to understand alternative education and training for Out-of-School Youth and pathways back to formal education.
This crystallized into the Destination 800 initiative, a Mastercard Foundation’s goal to create 30 million jobs in Africa by 2030 through partnerships. This APHRC-led initiative is designed to address youth unemployment and inclusively, with a strong commitment to equality and social justice. It targets 70% of its benefits to female youth and 5% to youth with disabilities, recognizing their unique challenges and the importance of equal opportunities in the job market. The Foundation recognizes the urgency of addressing the employment gap and skills mismatch that plagues the continent, and it aims to do so by partnering with key institutions across Africa to scale promising innovations in job creation.
Destination 800 is not just another initiative; it’s a powerful and inspiring collaborative effort that brings together eight tier 1 partner institutions from across Africa. Their expertise and local knowledge enable them to co-create and implement local solutions tailored to the needs of African youth. The collaboration extends to tier 2 partners, who bring additional models and innovations to the table, enriching the initiative’s potential impact. This sense of unity and shared responsibility is at the heart of Destination 800.
The journey to enhancing youth employment in Africa is complex. The challenges range from macroeconomic factors and institutional capacity to issues of inclusivity. However, Destination 800 offers a beacon of hope. By leveraging partnerships, co-designing with youth, and scaling innovative solutions, this initiative has the potential to significantly impact youth employment across the continent.
In conclusion, Destination 800’s success will depend on the strength of the collaborations formed, the innovative solutions identified, and the commitment of all stakeholders to implement and scale these solutions, leading to a brighter future for Africa’s youth.