Former President John Dramani Mahama has warned that Africa’s rapidly expanding youth population could become a major source of instability if governments fail to accelerate job creation.
Speaking at a Public-Private Partnership Dialogue during the ongoing TICAD conference in Japan, Mahama argued that traditional sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing cannot on their own absorb the millions of young people entering the job market each year.
He identified the creative industry, renewable energy, and digital startups as emerging sectors that are producing jobs at a much faster pace than the conventional economy, urging African governments to channel significant investments into them.
“The creative sector and youth start-ups are generating jobs faster than agriculture and manufacturing. For example, renewable energy creates about four jobs before agriculture or manufacturing can generate one,” Mahama explained.
He cautioned that Africa needs to generate between 12 and 15 million jobs annually, a target impossible to achieve through agriculture and industry alone.
Instead, he emphasized the need for governments to invest in the creative economy and the digital space, which are proving to be more dynamic and inclusive in job creation.
