The latest edition of Africa's Pulse, a World Bank report, is optimistic. With an estimated growth of 3.3%, Africa is officially emerging from recession. This is still less than in other continents (5.9% in Latin America, or 6% in Asia), but it is happening.
Contrary to the pessimistic forecasts, Covid-19 has not got the better of the continent. Quite the opposite, actually: some countries have been able to pull the economy up. South Africa, Algeria, Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Morocco, Angola, Tanzania and Ghana are the ten richest countries in 2021, with growth rates ranging from 3 to more than 5%, and recruitments on the rise. What opportunities for expatriates?
Promising sectors if you want to settle in Africa
Like many other countries in the world, cutting-edge technology is driving African economies: programming, development, IT, engineering... These are the sectors on which African governments are betting. The health and green energy sectors are also booming. The pandemic has made the emergency even more acute. States such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania have embarked on the development of solar panels. Morocco is accelerating its transition to a green economy: at COP26, it announced a target of 60% renewable electricity by 2030. The country is also emerging in the sales, finance, IT and construction sectors. On the services side, Moroccan call centers remain among the most competitive in the market. The positions of marketing manager, management consultant, financial analyst, developer and financial manager are particularly sought after.
The same sectors are also expanding in Nigeria. Telecoms, health, computer programming, aeronautical engineering, petroleum engineering, banking... companies are recruiting. Among them, the high-tech professions and management positions (CEO manager, oil engineer...) are particularly sought after. The film industry is also booming. Nigerian cinema is now recognized throughout the world and is growing rapidly. On November 28, Lagos will host the 17th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
It's also happening in Algeria. A joint survey by the Algerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CACI) and the company Emploitic reveals optimistic figures regarding employment. If the majority of companies surveyed (64%) has suffered from the crisis, 36% of them have continued to recruit despite the crisis, and 38% plan to increase their workforce. Three sectors in particular stand out: industry, distribution and services. The retail and trade sectors are the big winners; they have been able to resist the health crisis and continue to grow.
Mauritius is a popular destination for expatriates because of its living environment and is one of the leaders in Africa. There are many job opportunities; here again, the high-tech economy stands out: new technologies, agri-food, finance, IT (IT development, programming). But the island, like all African countries, has suffered from Covid-19. While African countries are recovering, they are also experiencing an increase in unemployment. Mauritius is doing the best, with 9.5% unemployment in the first quarter of 2021 (just one point higher than in France during the same period). But unemployment is rising, and threatens the economic recovery: 14% in Algeria, more than 10% in Ethiopia... Faced with the disarray of the inhabitants, the heads of state are implementing ambitious recovery policies. If the time has come to recruit talent, it is above all among the local population. Will expatriates find opportunities?
The new challenges of expatriation in Africa
What are expatriates looking for? And who is looking for them? The pandemic has turned the world of work upside down. In Africa and elsewhere, telecommuting has reorganized the way work is conceived. No need to go to the end of the world. Countries are relying on the locals to revive economies that have been badly hit by the Covid. For it is no longer so rare to find local talent, which is much more competitive and less expensive than expatriates. For The Economist, the days of "business-class globetrotters whose careers essentially consist of commuting between Mumbai, Abu Dhabi and Lagos" are over.
Another fact could be responsible for the difficulty for expatriates to break into the African labor market. In the collective imagination, Africa remains a continent rich in raw materials, but stricken by poverty and systemic political insecurity, and a lack of talent. Positions likely to be suitable for expatriates (positions of responsibility) would only be found in international organizations and companies. The expatriates themselves would build a life of their own, importing Western products that would drive up real estate and consumer prices. It is this image that the new African leaders intend to fight. Following the example of Singapore, they are campaigning for a greater emphasis on African potential. These businessmen and women are playing on two fronts: favoring local talent, and exporting African know-how to the world. Created in 2012, the African CEO Forum brings together African decision makers, international companies, investors... The September 2021 edition - 100% digital because of the COVID-19 epidemy - has highlighted new African start-ups. Evolving mainly in new technologies, finance and greentech, their sales exceed one billion dollars. Another organization, the International African Women's Forum (IAWF) promotes women's leadership in the political and economic world. For Dorcas Nancy Mbombo Mukenge, president of the organization, FIFAF must advance the process of parity.
However, the expatriate has a place in this new architecture. The condition: to immerse themselves as best they can in their adopted country, just as they would in another country in the world. Banish all colonialist overtones, learn the language, understand the local culture, know how to get help, and put oneself in the position of the host. As much as the expatriate comes to bring his expertise, he also receives from his new colleagues and superiors, as is the case for any expatriation. It is in this partnership that any immigration project must be understood; particularly in Africa, which is wrongly underestimated, African leaders remind us. They see the health crisis as an opportunity to start from scratch, integrating new environmental, political and economic challenges, so that African states can achieve sustainable growth.
