Africa must invest in education, skills development to enable workforce dominate economies by 2050 —PMI boss

THE Managing Director, Project Management Institute (PMI), Sub-Saharan Africa, George Asamani, has called for a massive investment in education, skills development and strategic workforce planning for the continent’s youthful workforce to dominate economies, by 2050.

The PMI boss noted that one of the areas where the continent has an edge over other continents remains its youthful population, which could be one of its most powerful economic assets to bridge labour gaps in aging economies.

He believed one of the ways such advantages can be maximised is for the continent to urgently invest in education, skills development, and strategic workforce planning to ensure its talents are valued, globally.

Without some coordinated efforts, he warned, the continent risks missing out on a defining era that will determine whether its young workforce thrives or remains underutilised in a world desperately in need of its talents.

He described the “Future of Jobs Report 2025,” released by the World Economic Forum (WEF), as highlighting the shifting nature of work, the rising demand for skills in Technology, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Project Management.

Citing the report, Asamani believed one of the continent’s greatest challenges is not just unemployment, but a skills mismatch, where a graduate’s qualifications no longer align with industry needs.

“As a result, many graduates find themselves lacking the latest skills, not because their education was inadequate, but because the world moved faster than their curriculum,” he added.

To address the challenges, Asamani therefore called for industry-aligned training, professional certifications, and skills-based learning that prepare students for the real world.

READ ALSO: Why we launched new ISO-accredited certification to equip professional —PMI Boss