Attaining the 2050 Vision for Africa

This article discusses the imperative of a major scaling up of human capital in Africa as a prerequisite for economic transformation. Sustained economic growth cannot be driven by improved macroeconomic policies, greater political stability, improved business climate, and growing global interest in Africa (primarily driven by commodities) alone. This article presents a vision of 2050 in which more African students enroll and complete school, African universities are leading global research centers of excellence, and Africans would be healthier and living longer as a result of better nutrition and healthcare, higher incomes, and drastically reduced poverty. It highlights the opportunities and challenges that African countries face in making what would amount to a quantum leap in raising levels of human capital and outlines some promising approaches toward achieving that objective.