To understand the population pressures on African nations, the Nigerian trend known as Japa offers some insight. The Yoruba slang term meaning "to flee” describes the exodus of highly educated professionals migrating to the West.
While much of the world grapples with an aging population, the looming demographic challenge for Africa lies in the multitude of young people who lack viable livelihoods and the drain on economies that their departure creates.
By 2050, one in four people on the planet will be African. While fertility rates across the continent are declining, they are not falling as dramatically as those in regions like East Asia, where some governments describe their low birth rate as a "national emergency.” Each year, 10 million to 12 million young Africans enter the workforce, but only about 3 million formal jobs are available.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.