Africa's youth population to Increase to 1 billion by 2050- Report.

According to a new report by Unicef, Africa’s young population will swell to 1 billion by 2050. This means that Africa will account for about 40 percent of all children in the world by 2050. In 1950, African children made up only 10 percent of the world. Even then, infant mortality remains highest in Africa, and by these projections, infant mortality will contribute to about 70 percent of the infant mortality rate in the world.

According to the report, the high fertility rates and rising numbers of women of reproductive age over the next 35 years, will mean that almost two billion babies will be born in Africa. This

should see a doubling of the population in Africa.  

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country at 170 million people, should be a special case to look at, as it has the greatest number of births in the continent, and by 2050, the country will account for one in 10 births globally by 2050, the report says.

The UN report concludes that "By investing in children now - in their health, education and protection - Africa could realise the economic benefits experienced previously in other regions and countries that have undergone similar demographic shifts." Still, the explosion of the youth population will be a double edged sword, as Africa's young will present tremendous market opportunities, but at the same time, they will demand jobs, and inclusion into the formal economy, and many African governments  may not be prepared for such an eventuality.