Africa is undergoing one of the most significant demographic transformations in modern history. With its population projected to reach 2.5-billion by 2050 and a median age of about 19, it’s set to become the youngest and most populous region in the world.
Former MTN Group president and CEO Phuthuma Nhleko views this population boom as a double-edged sword: it’s either the continent’s greatest dividend or a growing socio-economic risk. The outcome, he says, will depend on the urgency and effectiveness of long-term planning.
In his new book The Invisible People: How a Quarter of Humanity Can Thrive in Africa by 2050, Nhleko examines Africa’s place in the global landscape and the strategic shifts required to transform its future.
He discusses these ideas with broadcast journalist Cathy Mohlahlana in the latest episode of MTN’s thought leadership vodcast series The ‘Yello Chair — watch it below.
One of the book’s central themes is “invisibility”.
