Africa: World Cup & Population Dynamics

African nations had a great World Cup run - 9 made it to the 32 knockout round, with amazing games such as DR Congo-England, Cabo Verde-Argentina & Egypt-Argentina (in the 16). Looking ahead, we are bound to see more of the same.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is growing fast, forecast by the UN to overtake China by 2030, India by 2035 & both by 2070, reaching a total 3.3bn by 2100 (chart below).

With DR Congo currently facing population growth of 3mn per year, forecasts are for its population to grow from 116mn today to 430mn by 2100. Nigeria: from 242mn to 476mn. Ethiopia: from 139mn to 367mn. Tanzania: from 72mn to 262mn.

Note that China’s total population is forecast to fall from 1.4bn to 633mn by 2100. Nigeria’s and DR Congo’s combined population is seen to overtake China by 2083.

Leaving the football aside, these are huge shifts that need global planning starting today, Iin all areas including:

- Food security: hit by environmental changes caused by the rest of the world

- Alternative energy: almost all of Kenya’s electricity, for example, is non-fossil-fuel, highlighting the potential elsewhere, including solar, wind & green hydrogen

- Disease control: Africa’s reaction to Covid was exemplary but it needs way more support & access to vaccines

- Migration: Europe & Africa need to work on long-term solutions that are conducive for both