Africa’s youth boom

The United Nations projects that by the end of the century, four out of ten of the world’s people worldwide will be African. And it says even by 2050, around 41 percent of the world’s births will be in Africa.

So what does that mean? Opportunity and prosperity or more economic strain?

The UN Children’s Fund says Africa’s youth boom could lead to huge economic growth and prosperity, if governments invest now in education, healthcare and creating more jobs.

“We are optimisitic about Africa’s future but only if those investments are made and if they start to be made now, because it will take, for many of those investments, possibly a generation to be fruitful. Unless that happens, Africa’s very young children now, in 20 years’ time when they’re beginning to enter the labour force, may face a very uncertain future,” says David Anthony from UNICEF.

As predictions grow for the continent’s future population, we talk to Sim Tshabalala, the co-CEO of South Africa’s Standard Bank, about bailouts, balance sheets and babies.

Watch each week at the following times GMT: Friday: 2230; Saturday: 0930; Sunday: 0330; Monday: 1630.  Click here  for more  Counting the Cost .    Follow Kamahl Santamaria  @KamahlAJE  and business editor Abid Ali  @abidoliverali .