During the June 2025 Mo Ibrahim Governance Weekend in Marrakech, the African Leadership Institute hosted a highly-engaging side-meeting titled Africa Jobs Scenarios: Reimagining Work for Africa’s Next Generation. This was part of AFLI's broader Engagement and Convening Series, and marked a key moment in ongoing efforts to address one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: creating dignified and fulfilling jobs for its growing youth population.

The session was built around the Africa Jobs Scenarios report, an exercise undertaken by the 2024 Tutu Fellows in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation with the aim to explore how the continent could create more than 30 million dignified and fulfilling jobs by 2040. 

Using a scenario-building methodology, the Fellows developed three distinct narratives—Things Fall Apart, Nervous Conditions, and The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born to examine possible futures shaped by varying levels of governance effectiveness and economic capability.

The scenarios were not meant to predict the future, but to challenge assumptions and provide structured ways for stakeholders to navigate uncertainty and craft responses. Importantly, the report calls for collective action across sectors to move Africa toward its most optimistic future: one in which bold leadership, innovation, and inclusivity unlock the full potential of its youth.

That vision came to life during our side meeting in Marrakech. The room was packed, demonstrating the urgent relevance of this topic across the continent and beyond. The energy and interest were unmistakable, a reflection of how deeply the issue of jobs for Africa’s next generation resonates.

We were proud to host an all-women panel of extraordinary leaders: Yasmin Kumi, Gemma Thompson, Lydia Ndirangu, Klenam Normanyo, Kidist Amedie, and Hafou Touré. Together, they shared bold views on the systemic shifts Africa needs-from education reform and youth skills development to economic diversification and meaningful engagement with the private sector. Their discussion underscored a critical point: transforming Africa’s jobs landscape isn’t just a policy challenge—it’s a leadership imperative.

The Africa Jobs Scenarios project is ultimately about enabling the continent to imagine and realize a future where every young person can thrive. The packed room in Marrakech was proof that this future matters to many, and that the time to act is now.

The gallery below is from the presentation.

Header image: Tutu Fellow panellists hosting the question and answers session