Africa’s future prosperity rests on its daughters
Africa is home to an estimated 160 million adolescent girls aged 10 to 19. They embody the energy, creativity and potential of the continent. It is undeniable that the “Africa we want”, as envisioned in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, cannot be achieved without the full participation of this group, which represents an essential component of the continent’s current and future workforce.
However, one of the most persistent obstacles to achieving this vision is the prevalence of child marriage and its negative impact on the productive capacities of children in Africa. Child marriage is among the most underestimated structural constraints that hinder the African continent’s ability to harness its demographic dividend.
Africa’s daughters are still being left behind
The statistics paint a worrying picture. According to the World Bank, in Africa (excluding North Africa), four out of 10 between the ages of 15 and 19 are neither in school, nor employed, nor married, nor mothers, compared to just over one in 10 boys. On average, nearly one-third (32%) of young women (15-24 years old) are not employed, are not pursuing any education, are not in any (NEETs), compared with 23% of boys in the same age group.
In Africa, 130 million women and girls were married before their 18th birthday, the highest rate to the world (UNICEF, 2025). The prevalence of child marriage varies across the continent. Central and West Africa bear a disproportionate share of this problem. But even North Africa, which has the lowest rate, although still significant, shows that this odious practice persists throughout the continent. In addition, nine of the 10 countries with the highest incidence of child marriage are in Africa.
The economic costs are considerable.
Child marriage is most often presented as a human rights violation or a social and health problem. and indeed, complications related to pregnancy and childbirth remain a major cause of death among adolescent girls. However, these tragic and most visible aspects are only part of the problem.
Less visibly, but child marriage is more common, associated with first pregnancies and effectively excludes girls from education and formal economic participation at a stage when investments in skills and learning are most cost-effective. In addition to limiting the future of individuals, this practice has major economic consequences for African countries and regions.
For Africa, as for some other developing countries, child marriage is a major economic distortion and unresolved. Child marriage distorts the accumulation of human capital and the distribution of labour, with major economic consequences for productivity and growth. Specifically:
- Child marriage interrupts schooling, limits skills acquisition and hinders women’s participation in the labour market formal;
- Girls who are married young are much more likely to work in unpaid care work or to end up in activities informal sectors with low productivity, with limited prospects for upward mobility.
- Child marriage limits girls’ full integration into society by depriving them of their rights, identity and capacity to act. It creates dependency and hinders their leadership potential.
The consequences for African labour markets are particularly severe. Productive structural transformation requires a workforce that can move from low-productivity activities to higher value-added sectors, including manufacturing, modern services and the digital economy. When schooling and skills acquisition girls are interrupted, the supply of skilled labour for these sectors decreases. As a result, the incentives for entrepreneurs to create and develop productive enterprises are reduced. At the macroeconomic level, growth productivity, job creation in the formal sector and diversification into high value-added activities are reduced.
The economic costs of child marriage are passed on from generation to generation. This practice is closely linked to early and high fertility, increased maternal morbidity and mortality, and lower educational and health outcomes for children. If no action is taken, these social consequences lead to a decrease in of the human capital (education and health) of the next generation, thus reducing labour productivity and innovation. Ultimately, they are a persistent obstacle to fiscal sustainability, regional integration and growth inclusive.
These dynamics undermine Africa’s chances of reaping the benefits of its demographic dividend. While population growth While the continent’s active population is seen as a potential source of accelerated growth, provided adequate investment in health, education and job creation, child marriage is aggravated by the reduction in female employment in the formal sector. As a result, productivity gains are below potential, and risks related to demographic opportunities are turning into a major demographic crisis.
Despite its negative macroeconomic implications, child marriage is not taken into account in frameworks and discussions that underpin macroeconomic planning and policies in Africa. It is usually addressed through social or legal interventions, while macroeconomic strategies, industrial policies and tax frameworks are considered as if these human capital constraints were exogenous. This lack of communication leads to systematic underinvestment in one of the main impediments to Africa’s productivity.
Policymakers and the population at large need to rethink the issue of child marriage.
From an economic perspective, the case for investing in girls is compelling. The analyses show systematically that investments in girls’ education and health generate high returns on investment, increasing their lifetime earnings and boosting productivity. Closing the gender gap education, employment and decision-making could add up to US$1 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2043. Estimates also suggest that every US dollar invested in the health, education and empowerment of adolescent girls can generate significant economic returns over time.
Turning evidence into effective policy will require a shift in approach: eliminating marriage The development of children must be considered as a central element of Africa’s economic strategy. Indicators related to education, employment and the burden of unpaid care work of adolescent girls must therefore be fully integrated into macroeconomic frameworks. labour market projections and productive capacity assessments.
In this context, addressing the problem of child marriage in Africa is an economic necessity, as the success of the continent’s transformation depends on full mobilisation the productive potential of its population. This requires sustained investment in girls, as economic actors and not simply as beneficiaries of social programs.
Africa needs to finance the future of its daughters, and measures such as strengthening domestic resource mobilisation, Gender-responsive budgeting and positive social and environmental impact bonds could make a significant contribution to this. In addition, policymakers should consider public spending to reduce child marriage and support the continuation of girls’ education as investment expenditure and not as simple social expenditure. This would align fiscal frameworks with long-term growth objectives.
Eliminating child marriage alone will not guarantee that Africa will achieve its development goals. However, if this trend is not taken into account, this structural barrier will continue to hamper productivity, competitiveness and the implementation of Agenda 2063.
Recognise that ending child marriage is as much an economic imperative as it is a would constitute an important step forward. It would also put girls’ empowerment where it belongs: at the heart of the continent’s development strategy and its quest for inclusive and sustainable growth.
By Zuzana Schwidrowski, Director of the Gender, Poverty and Social Policy Division, and Omolola Mary Lipede, Associate Researcher