Despite progress, Africa lags in most human capital indicators. Estimates show that the continent is operating at only 40 percent of its potential. Investments are needed in education, health, social protection, and women’s empowerment to raise people up to become innovators, entrepreneurs, and empowered citizens. The World Bank Group is helping bridge the gap in basic services by:
Supporting stronger and regionally coordinated pandemic preparedness and surveillance and reinforcing support to the Africa Centers of Disease Control
Increasing support to African universities to develop regional Academic Centers of Excellence that help fulfill labor market demands in specific areas, such as agriculture, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Improving the reliability and cross-country comparability of data as well as data collection systems to support evidence-based policy-making
Supporting efforts to provide digital identification for all to enable more agile movement of people and public services across borders, establish better targeting systems for social welfare programs, and expand basic services, especially for the most vulnerable
Promoting women and adolescent girls’ social and economic empowerment by expanding access to quality reproductive, maternal, and child health services and supporting cross-country platforms to address common challenges
