African Population Set to Reach Quarter of Global Total by 2050
Africa is projected to account for about one quarter of the world’s population by the middle of the century, according to Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
According to reports, she made the statement during a plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where she appeared alongside several global leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. In her remarks, she emphasized Africa’s rising demographic and economic significance on the global stage.
She stated: “By 2050, one in four human beings on this planet will be African.” She further added: “Africa will be the only continent still adding workers to the global labor force on a large scale. Africa will host nine of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies.”
Hassan also highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area, noting that its full implementation could eventually create the world’s largest market in terms of population size. The agreement, launched in 2018, aims to establish a continent-wide free trade system by reducing barriers to the movement of goods, services, and investment across African Union member states.
Meanwhile, demographic trends in other parts of the world are moving in the opposite direction, with population decline expected in several regions due to low fertility rates and aging populations. Europe’s population, for example, is projected to decrease from roughly 744 million to about 703 million over the same period.
United Nations data indicates that fertility rates across Europe averaged around 1.4 births per woman in 2023, significantly below the replacement level of 2.1.
Similar concerns have been raised in Russia, where the fertility rate was recorded at 1.4 in 2024. In response, authorities have introduced a range of pro-natal policies, including financial incentives for mothers, expanded maternity benefits, and additional support programs for families.
Starting next week, additional tax relief measures are also set to be introduced for households with two or more children, as part of efforts to address declining birth rates.
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