Key facts
- Africa's population is projected to be 25% of the global total by 2050.
- Africa will be the only continent to significantly add to the global labor force.
- Nine of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies will be in Africa.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan stated Africa will comprise 25% of the global population by 2050, becoming the sole continent to significantly expand its workforce. She noted Africa will host nine of the world's 20 fastest-growing economies and that the African Continental Free Trade Area will become the largest market by population.
Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan stated at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that Africa's population is projected to constitute one quarter of the global population by 2050. She emphasized that Africa will be the sole continent to significantly expand its workforce in the coming decades and will be home to nine of the world's twenty fastest-growing economies. Hassan also highlighted the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which, upon full implementation, is expected to become the largest market globally by population. Current UN projections support this demographic trend, estimating Africa's population to reach approximately 2.5 billion by 2050, while populations in regions like Europe are forecast to decline due to low birth rates and aging societies. Russia is also experiencing a similar demographic concern with a low fertility rate, prompting the government to implement measures to encourage births and support families.
Africa's projected demographic growth signifies a major shift in global population distribution, with significant implications for the global labor force, economic growth centers, and geopolitical influence in the coming decades.