AfDB to Create 9m Jobs in 5 years

• AfDB to Create 9m Jobs in 5 years

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President, African Development Bank (AfDB), on Saturday said the lender is working on a plan to create 9 million direct and indirect jobs in the next five years.

Adesina, who spoke at the 8th African Leadership Magazine Persons of the Year Event in Johannesburg South Africa, won the African of the Year Award.

Speaking on job creation, the president said: “considering the pace of change driven by the 4th industrial revolution, we must invest in re-directing and re-skilling our labour force. We must and we will prepare young people for the jobs of the future — not the jobs of the past.”

“That’s why the African Development Bank, as part of our Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy, launched the establishment of Coding for Employment Program. It’s designed to foster young digital entrepreneurs. We hope to develop 130 centres of innovation over the next five years to help create 9 million direct and indirect jobs,” he said.

Adesina added that “we must also address issues of insecurity. Growth in West Africa has been dampened by the rising insecurity challenges, especially in the Sahel. Several countries in West Africa are spending a very high share of their budgets on security.”