Africa has the youngest population in the world, with a median age of 19.7 in 2020. It is growing fast, and by 2055, the youth population (aged 15-24) is expected to be more than double the 2015 total of 226 million. This represents about 20% of the continent’s population, with almost 60% of Africa’s population being under the age of 25, making it the world’s youngest continent. In 2020, Africa’s population under 35 represented almost a billion people (540.8 million 0-14-year-olds and 454.5 million 15-34-year-olds), amounting to 22.7% of the world’s total youth population. By 2100, Africa’s youth will be equivalent to twice Europe’s entire population, and almost half of the world’s youth will be from Africa. Despite the large population of young people, Africa remains politically, economically, and socially inhospitable to young people.

Supportive policies and programmes for youth development are critical now more than ever. The success of African governments and other stakeholders’ efforts in addressing these issues will be the most important factor in determining whether the continent flourishes or suffers in the coming decades.