Africa’s emerging youth bulge presents more opportunities than risks. If governments and businesses train young people well and create sufficient opportunities for them to drive endogenous growth, the continent stands to reap a huge demographic dividend.
CAIRO – Economic policy debates about Africa are too often clouded by calls for population control and lower fertility rates. And the United Nations is fueling the problem by projecting that Africa’s population will double by 2050. In fact, Africa’s overall fertility rate has fallen by more than 36% since 1970 to 4.2 births per woman, and is projected to decline to 2.1 births per woman later this century.
CAIRO – Economic policy debates about Africa are too often clouded by calls for population control and lower fertility rates. And the United Nations is fueling the problem by projecting that Africa’s population will double by 2050. In fact, Africa’s overall fertility rate has fallen by more than 36% since 1970 to 4.2 births per woman, and is projected to decline to 2.1 births per woman later this century.