Nachhaltiger Fortschritt: die AfCFTA und Chancen für grüne Arbeitsplätze in Afrika

This policy brief by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can be leveraged to combat youth unemployment by promoting greentech and Indigenous environmental practices. It argues that shifting from importing green goods to local manufacturing and trading within Africa can create millions of sustainable jobs, particularly in renewable energy, while integrating traditional knowledge to ensure inclusive development.

• Africa faces a youth unemployment crisis with over 72 million young people out of work, two-thirds of whom are young women, as of 2023 data from the ILO.
• The transition to sustainable energy is expected to cause significant job shifts in Africa: while carbon-intensive sectors may lose 2.1 million jobs by 2030 and 4.2 million by 2050, the energy transition could create 9 million jobs by 2030 and an additional 3 million by 2050.
• The renewable energy sector is a primary driver of green employment, with estimates suggesting it will create 4 million jobs by 2030 (up from 0.35 million in 2020) and 8 million jobs by 2050, provided policies align with the Paris Agreement 1.5-S scenario.
• Africa has a persistent trade deficit in green goods, with intra-African exports accounting for only 2.04% of the USD 2.931 billion worth of these goods imported by African countries in 2023, and 3.47% of the USD 2.278 billion imported in 2024.
• The AfCFTA can facilitate the trade and scaling of Indigenous greentech, such as Za pit farming in Burkina Faso and Niger, sand dams in Ethiopia and Kenya, and traditional herbal medicines across the continent, to provide livelihoods for rural youth.
• Green hydrogen offers job creation across its value chain, from electrolyser operation to infrastructure maintenance, though it faces barriers including high production costs, infrastructure gaps, and a nascent regulatory environment.
• To catalyze greentech jobs, the document recommends that governments establish greentech zones with tax incentives, formulate youth-centric trade policies, and create mutual recognition agreements for professional qualifications.

APA

Tayo, T. (2025). Nachhaltiger Fortschritt: die AfCFTA und Chancen für grüne Arbeitsplätze in Afrika. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/nachhaltiger-fortschritt-die-afcfta-und-chancen-fur-grune-arbeitsplaetze-in-afrika-en

Chicago

Tayo, Teniola. Nachhaltiger Fortschritt: die AfCFTA und Chancen für grüne Arbeitsplätze in Afrika. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/de/nachhaltiger-fortschritt-die-afcfta-und-chancen-fur-grune-arbeitsplaetze-in-afrika-en.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tayo |first1=Teniola |title=Nachhaltiger Fortschritt: die AfCFTA und Chancen für grüne Arbeitsplätze in Afrika |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=27 October 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/nachhaltiger-fortschritt-die-afcfta-und-chancen-fur-grune-arbeitsplaetze-in-afrika-en |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tayo2025nachhaltiger, author = {Tayo, Teniola}, title = {{Nachhaltiger Fortschritt: die AfCFTA und Chancen für grüne Arbeitsplätze in Afrika}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/nachhaltiger-fortschritt-die-afcfta-und-chancen-fur-grune-arbeitsplaetze-in-afrika-en}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }