The Boom and the Future of Africa

The Boom and the Future of Africa

      By 2050, Africa will account for 40% of the world’s population growth (Hajjar). If that number isn’t intimidating as is, 30 out of the 41 countries suffering from high rates of all three forms of malnutrition -- stunted growth, % of fertile-age women with anemia, and overweight ratio among women -- are in Africa (World Health Organization). With an already struggling economy, a corrupt government, and a lack of supply to meet food demands, Africa is facing a huge turning point: the upcoming population boom. This could be an opportunity like no other, one that could boost the workforce for years given the influx of soon-to-be working-class citizens. However, the imminent wave of youth will put incredible pressure on the African governments: if a blind eye is turned, the African economy among other systems will only collapse under the ever-increasing stress.

     Even at its very beginning, the population boom is proving to be a threat to the African food supply, irrigation, and water systems. In southern Africa, the lack of water resources caused by overpopulation and overfarming is becoming an alarmingly large concern. The agricultural processes taking place in these regions form one vicious cycle: one where the demand for food causes overfarming and the degradation of land, thus making access to water and farmland more erratic (Southern Cross University). Seeing as how African food systems are already failing the 1.2 billion people it has, it will struggle to support the incoming millions over the next 50 years. After all, the water supply is dwindling because of the demand for food. 

     The African economy, too, suffers greatly from the pressures of the large population. The Democratic Republic of Congo has 60 of its 77 million residents living on less than $1.90 per day, a trend that is common throughout Africa (Marsh). With the global living wage being seven dollars greater per day than that of African people, the economy is in need of significant changes. In order for the economy to support the current population, Uganda must create 623 thousand jobs per month, with other countries like Tanzania needing 636 thousand and Madagascar needing 578 thousand (Marsh). Since the U.S has only reached these job growth marks twice in history, the future for Africa’s economy looks no brighter. 

     Growth of the African population will only exacerbate these issues. There are 19 countries in Africa where women average over five children in their lifetimes, and only two in the rest of the world (Baer). Because of this, Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is projected to grow by 538 million by 2035, most notably with the population of Nigeria expected to pass the population of the US just 15 years later (ISSAfrica). With the Sub-Saharan population set to grow tremendously, the food industry and economy will only be put under more stress and perhaps collapse further. Africa has to find a way to lower the birth rates of its countries, but this task is a historically daunting one. Africa’s population boom is often compared to China in the past (Baer). China handled it by implementing the one-child policy, a policy that not only cost its economy billions of dollars, but also infringed on its citizens’ civil rights. It seems that at the moment, African governments have no solution to this ever-growing problem. 

     As the population grows, Africa can only hope that the young generation will one day be large enough to boost its workforce and economy. The handling of this issue will affect Africa for years to come. However, it has other countries to take after. By implementing policies that give women more access to contraceptives, family planning, and education, Ethiopia was able to lower birth rates and benefit their economies. Many countries within Sub-Saharan Africa can follow the lead and slow their population growth to buy more time for African governments. While the hope for this generation to save Africa is huge, the problems they bring about cannot be ignored.

Works Cited

Baer, Drake. “'The Biggest Change of Our Time' Is Happening Right Now in Africa.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 18 Aug. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/africas-population-explosion-will-change-humanity-2015-8.


“Global Nutrition Report.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 17 Jan.2019, www.who.int/nutrition/globalnutritionreport/en/.


Hajjar, Bandar, and Islamic Development Bank. “The Children's Continent: Keeping up with Africa's Growth.” World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/the-children-s-continent/.


ISSAfrica.org. “Africa's Population Boom: Burden or Opportunity?” ISS Africa, 15 May 2017,
issafrica.org/iss-today/africas-population-boom-burden-or-opportunity.


Marsh, Bill. “Overpopulated and Underfed: Countries Near a Breaking Point.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 June 2017, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/15/sunday-review/overpopulated-and-underfed-countries-near-a-breaking-point.html.