Africa’s universities are under growing pressure as demand for higher education continues to rise faster than available capacity.
With the continent projected to have the world’s largest workforce by 2040, experts say relying solely on universities to prepare young people for the future economy is no longer sustainable.
According to Project Management Institute Sub-Saharan Africa Managing Director George Asamani and Dr. Sanele W Nhlabatsi, Africa must urgently expand alternative pathways to employment and economic participation.
The two authors argue that African universities are facing a dual challenge, limited capacity and growing expectations from families who view university education as the main route to success.
“A degree has long been associated with better job prospects, higher income, and social mobility,” they note, adding that many young people now feel excluded from the future if they fail to secure university admission.
While Africa has more than 400 million people aged between 15 and 35, tertiary enrolment remains at about 9%, significantly below the global average of 38%.
The pressure is particularly visible in countries such as South Africa, where the number of students qualifying for university admission continues to exceed available slots.
For the 2026 academic year, South Africa’s public universities reportedly had space for about 235,000 first-year students, despite more than 245,000 learners obtaining bachelor-level passes in the previous national examinations.
Private universities also face overwhelming demand, with more than 100,000 applications competing for fewer than 10,000 places.
The authors warn that continuing to treat university education as the only credible path to success is increasingly disconnected from the realities of the global economy.
They argue that rapid technological change, artificial intelligence, and economic uncertainty are reshaping labour markets worldwide, creating greater demand for adaptable, skills-based workers.
“The goal cannot simply be to get into university,” the article states. “The goal must be to build employability.”
The two experts say future workers will need the ability to continuously re-skill and transition across industries and opportunities throughout their careers.
As a result, they are calling for African countries to strengthen alternative training ecosystems, including technical and vocational education and training (TVET), apprenticeships, entrepreneurship programmes, work-integrated learning, and professional certifications.
They point to project management as one example where young people can begin building careers immediately after high school through internationally recognised certifications such as the Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), before later pursuing higher education qualifications if necessary.
According to the authors, expanding credible alternatives to university education could help equip Africa’s youth with practical skills needed to drive innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development.
“Africa’s future will not be built by a single educational route,” they conclude, “but by an ecosystem of pathways that recognise skills, competence, adaptability, and lifelong learning.”
