New Books in Economics Loic De Canniere, "The Future of Employment in Africa: Demography, Labour Markets and Welfare" (Anthem, 2025)
Nov 4, 2025
Loic De Canniere is a seasoned macroeconomist and impact investor with over 25 years in Africa. He delves into the continent's booming population and the urgent need for job creation as 20 million new job seekers enter the market yearly. Loic highlights Africa's strengths, like innovative microentrepreneurship and rich natural resources that attract global powers. He provides insights on climate change impacts, increasing intra-African migration, and the promising role of technology in shaping Africa's future. With a balanced view, he challenges pessimism and envisions prosperity.
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Demographic Surge Is Opportunity And Risk
- Sub-Saharan Africa's population will double by 2050 and remain very young, creating a historic demographic shift.
- This can become a dividend only if jobs and enabling institutions scale fast enough to absorb 20 million new job seekers per year.
Low Official Unemployment Masks Informal Work
- Official unemployment is low because most Africans work in the informal economy as micro-entrepreneurs or smallholder farmers.
- Those informal enterprises act as a cushion but do not substitute for large-scale formal job creation.
Macadamia Aggregator In Kenya
- In Kenya a young company aggregated thousands of smallholder macadamia farmers and now exports nuts globally.
- This example shows local aggregation can create modern value chains and jobs for rural producers.
