From the FT – Breakout Nations author Ruchir Sharma: Africa is the world’s economic problem

A global baby bust hampers growth, with Africa holding the key to potential economic miracles. Despite a booming population, African nations struggle to capitalise on their demographic dividend. Ruchir Sharma's research reveals a stark decline in working-age population growth, hindering Africa's potential to match East Asian success. Leadership challenges, corruption, and insufficient infrastructure impede progress. As the world's last economic frontier, Africa's success is crucial for global growth, yet hurdles persist, threatening to perpetuate the demographic drag affecting economies worldwide.

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Countries across the continent have been unable to capitalise on their demographic dividend

By Ruchir Sharma*

A global baby bust is slowing growth in every major economy, from China and Japan to Germany and the US. But the flip side of this story goes untold: even economies that could still get a big boost from population growth are failing to do so.

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