2026 Dialogue on the Demographic Future: Africa urged to turn population growth into a driver of development

The 2026 Dialogue on the Demographic Future opened on November 4 at the CGECI headquarters in Plateau, chaired by Ivorian Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé. Participants urged African governments to invest in education, health, training and employment to turn population growth into a driver of prosperity and inclusion. Mambé said Africa could account for more than a quarter of the world’s population by 2050, while Planning and Development Minister Souleymane Diarrassouba cited a projected continental population of nearly 2.5 billion, 60% of them under 25. Côte d’Ivoire’s population grew from 6.7 million in 1975 to 29.4 million in 2021, with 75.6% of residents under 35.