Report says Africa’s youth to double to 452 million

Africa’s youth population would almost double from 230 to 452 million between 2015 and 2050, according to Mo Ibrahim 2017 Forum Report.

The Report made available to the Ghana News Agency said the fastest growing African economies have not created enough jobs for the teeming youth.

It said by 2050, half of Africa’s population would be below 25 years old.

It indicated the average age of African president was 66, while the average median age of the continent’s population is 20 as of 2016.

Of the 25 fastest growing economies in the world between 2004 and 2014, 10 are Africans with nearly 30 million young Africans unemployed in 2015.

It observed that four countries in 2015, featured in the Global top 10 for the highest terrorism levels; Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt and Libya.

“Half of the tertiary educated population of Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, and Mozambique leave their country,” the statement said.

It noted that majority of African citizens trust religious leaders, the army and traditional leaders more than their elected representatives.

The statement said Somalia, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda have still not ratified the 2004 Protocol to the 1999 African Union Convention on the prevention of terrorism.

It said 56 Heads of State have left office over the last decade including nine that died in office and 13 stepping down following a coup, an arrest or an uprising.

“Over a decade, the number of protests and riots has increased more than tenfold,” it concluded.

Source: GNA