World Bank’s Maimbo urges Africa to move from endless planning to action on transformative jobs

World Bank Group Vice President for Budget, Performance Review, and Strategic Planning, Samuel Munzele Maimbo, has called for a bold reimagining of Africa’s jobs agenda, urging governments to shift from endless planning to practical execution that delivers decent, dignified, and transformative employment.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual meetings, Maimbo said Africa stood at a pivotal moment in its development journey—with one of the fastest-growing populations in the world and a powerful demographic advantage in its youthful citizens.

“Our greatest challenge remains employment—not just creating jobs, but ensuring they are decent, livable, and transformative,” he said in a statement released in Lusaka on Wednesday.

“Africa does not just need more jobs; it needs better jobs that nourish families, sustain dignity, and unlock potential,” Maimbo said.

He noted that traditional labour statistics often failed to capture the realities of hidden unemployment and underemployment across the continent.

“A market waiter who drives a taxi by night and farms on weekends may appear ‘employed’ on paper—but none of these roles provide stability or progression,” Maimbo explained.

He urged African governments to invest in systems that measure work quality, wages, and career mobility, stressing that it was not enough to count jobs—policymakers must also measure the kind of lives those jobs build.

Maimbo further called for deeper engagement with Africa’s real private sector, describing informal workers and entrepreneurs as the true drivers of economic activity.

“Street vendors, informal manufacturers, digital entrepreneurs, and regional service providers are the heartbeat of Africa’s economy,” he said.

“They are not the side show—they are the main event. Policy must be co-created with them, not imposed from above,” he added.

He cautioned against overreliance on imported “best practices” that often created bureaucratic barriers and encourage corruption, saying: “Our systems must empower value creators, not tenderpreneurs.”

The World Bank executive also urged governments to diversify beyond large-scale infrastructure projects and macroeconomic investments, instead focusing on targeted, sector-specific interventions—especially in the creative and digital industries.

“The creative economy—film, music, design, and digital content—has immense potential,” Maimbo said. “It employs thousands with minimal capital requirements and showcases Africa’s cultural wealth to the world. We must treat it as a strategic sector, not a side hobby.”

He called for greater investment in creative infrastructure such as film studios and digital labs, the introduction of fiscal incentives, and stronger distribution networks to promote African content globally.

Maimbo also pointed to a shifting migration narrative, noting that many skilled Africans were returning home with knowledge, networks, and capital.

“Migration is no longer a one-way story,” he said, adding, “Governments should harness this momentum through entrepreneurship support, vocational education, and diaspora engagement.”

While acknowledging the importance of foreign investment, Maimbo stressed that Africa’s long-term resilience depended on local ownership and enterprise.

“Public–private partnerships must empower African suppliers, manufacturers, and innovators. Local firms reinvest in communities—that is how sustainable economies are built,” he said.

Calling for a decisive break from policy inertia, Maimbo challenged African governments to make execution the new measure of success.

“Feasibility studies don’t create jobs—implementation does. It’s time we moved from frameworks to fieldwork. Asphalt alone doesn’t transform lives; access, energy, and opportunity do,” he said.

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