Africa is often described as the world's youngest continent, with approximately 60 percent of its population under the age of 25 and a large group aged 15-35. According to the United Nations' World Population Prospects, this youth profile is held up as a potential engine of growth, a demographic dividend that can raise incomes and fuel expansion. But demography is not destiny. “Africa's youth are not an asset like we think. It's a time bomb if we keep lying to them,” says Ibrahim Bah, founder of the Africa Bank of the Diaspora.
Africa is often described as the world's youngest continent, with approximately 60 percent of its population under the age of 25 and a large group aged 15-35. According to the United Nations' World Population Prospects, this youth profile is held up as a potential engine of growth, a demographic dividend that can raise incomes and fuel expansion. But demography is not destiny. “Africa's youth are not an asset like we think. It's a time bomb if we keep lying to them,” says Ibrahim Bah, founder of the Africa Bank of the Diaspora.