Minister Ssebugwawo urges data-driven strategies for empowering youth

Joyce Ssebugwawo, the state minister for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), has called for harnessing the power of data to build a prosperous future for Uganda’s youth and for Africa as a whole.

The minister said this last week at the launch of the Africa Youth Employment Clock, which predicts the growth of the youth population. According to World Data Lab (WDL) and Mastercard Foundation, Africa will experience its highest-ever youth population growth in this decade (2021– 2030), with the population projected to increase by almost 100 million between 2023 and 2030.

So, enabling young people in Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work is more important than ever, and a collective, renewed impetus underpinned by credible data is needed to achieve this. According to the minister, the Africa Youth Employment Clock will support and inform the journey to more inclusive African labour markets through cutting-edge data modelling and visualization.

This labour market model monitors real-time job growth and forecasts employment trends in Africa, tracking key variables such as employment status, age, gender and sector up to 2030.

The first of its kind, the Clock is poised to become a go-to place for comprehensive youth employment data in Africa. The Clock draws from surveys and datasets made available by national statistics offices, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

Ssebugwawo said there is need for increased productivity, particularly for young people, equipping them with relevant skills and opening pathways to meaningful work.

With Uganda now among the countries benefiting from the Clock, its launch is seen as a transformative step toward understanding and addressing the employment challenges facing Uganda’s young workforce.

Wolfgang Fengler, the CEO and co-founder of World Data Lab, said that despite the stable employment rates, Uganda still faces challenges with a significant portion of the youth workforce in low-paying jobs that limit economic growth and development.

“We are dedicated to providing real-time data that supports policymakers in creating sustainable and dignified employment opportunities,” he said.