Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa

The report forecasts that Africa will create between 1.5 and 3.3 million new direct green jobs by 2030 across 12 material value chains. The energy and power sector is the primary driver, with solar energy alone projected to generate up to 1.7 million jobs. The analysis highlights a significant need for both unskilled labor (40% of total) and specialized skills (30%), particularly in solar, climate-smart agriculture, and waste recycling. Five focus countries—South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the DRC—are expected to contribute up to 720,000 of these jobs, with South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria showing the highest potential. The report emphasizes that while long-term estimates suggest up to 100 million green jobs by 2050, immediate investment in human capital and vocational training is required to realize this growth.

• Africa is forecasted to create between 1.5 and 3.3 million new direct green jobs by 2030 across 12 material value chains.
• The energy and power sector is the largest employer, expected to generate up to 2 million jobs, which is 70% of the total forecast. Solar energy is the dominant sub-sector, accounting for up to 1.7 million jobs (57% of the total).
• Agriculture and nature are projected to provide up to 700,000 jobs (25% of the total), led by climate smart agriculture technology (CSA) at up to 377,000 jobs.
• Five specific countries are forecast to contribute up to 720,000 jobs, representing 22% of the total. South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria have the highest potential, jointly representing 25% of total expected jobs (755,000 jobs).
• Job demand is distributed across four skill levels: unskilled jobs (casual laborers, sales) represent the largest share at 40% (up to 1.3 million), followed by specialized skills at 30% (up to 970,000), general/administrative at 20% (up to 650,000), and advanced skills at 10% (up to 320,000).
• Waste remediation and recycling is expected to create between 40,000 and 200,000 jobs, with 50% of these being unskilled roles such as sorting.
• Electric 2-wheelers (E2W) are projected to create between 28,000 and 43,000 jobs, with Kenya (14.2K) and Ethiopia (7.5K) leading due to favorable policies and startup presence.
• Hydroelectric power is forecasted to create between 20,000 and 170,000 jobs, with Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam expected to create over 33,000 direct jobs.
• Ecosystem conservation and nature-based solutions (NBS) are projected to create between 30,000 and 115,000 jobs, with 45% requiring specialized skills such as park rangers and fence technicians.
• While short-term forecasts focus on 2030, some expert organizations estimate the green economy could create up to 100 million new and improved jobs and livelihoods across Africa by 2050.

APA

FSD Africa (2024). Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa. https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Forecasting-Green-Jobs-in-Africa-2024.pdf

Chicago

FSD Africa. Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa. 2024. https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Forecasting-Green-Jobs-in-Africa-2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=FSD Africa |title=Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa |date=July 2024 |url=https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Forecasting-Green-Jobs-in-Africa-2024.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fsdafrica2024forecasting, author = {{FSD Africa}}, title = {{Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa}}, institution = {FSD Africa}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://fsdafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Forecasting-Green-Jobs-in-Africa-2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }