President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned that Africa’s rapidly growing youth population could pose a serious challenge if governments fail to create jobs at a pace that matches the continent’s demographic boom.

Speaking at a Private-Public Partnership Dialogue in Japan on the sidelines of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Mr. Mahama stressed that traditional employment sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing can no longer absorb the millions of young Africans entering the job market each year.

He urged African governments to rethink their economic strategies and prioritise emerging industries with greater job-creation potential, including the creative economy, renewable energy, and digital startups.

“These are the areas generating jobs faster than the traditional economy,” Mahama said, adding that sustained investment and innovation will be crucial to turning Africa’s youth bulge into a demographic dividend rather than a source of instability.

The President’s remarks echo growing concerns among policymakers and development partners about the need for Africa to harness its youthful population to drive economic transformation.