Businessman and MTN Uganda board chair Charles Mbire has criticised Africa’s education and economic models, warning that the continent is producing graduates with no job prospects—only to see them become boda boda riders and shopkeepers.
“We churn out students of IT whose shelf life is seven months with no jobs. They end up being boda boda riders or shopkeepers,” Mbire said, calling it a crisis of misplaced priorities.
Speaking at the Africa Unlocked Summit 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda, Mbire said Africa’s so-called “demographic dividend” could become a demographic disaster unless urgent reforms are made.
“The market is a landmine because we are planning politically, not economically,” he warned.
“If we don’t tailor solutions to our environment, this demographic dividend we talk about will become a nuclear landmine.”
Mbire called for a complete overhaul of education systems across the continent, stressing that African countries cannot afford to keep importing development models from Europe or Asia.
“Africa must integrate, invest, and involve. If we don’t, we will be led by a frustrated generation we failed to prepare for,” he added.
The session, themed “Purposeful and Authentic Leadership in Times of Disruption,” featured other continental voices including Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala, BSG executive chairman Dr. Mteto Nyati, and Vukani Mngxati, CEO of Accenture Africa.
Tshabalala emphasised “leadership with purpose,” warning that African governments and institutions must rebuild trust by solving issues that matter to ordinary people.
Nyati and Mngxati echoed the need for context-specific, authentic leadership that reflects the continent’s cultural and economic realities.
Mbire’s remarks struck a chord as Uganda and many African countries grapple with youth unemployment, misaligned education, and slow economic transformation.
His call for country-specific planning, backed by private sector leadership, adds urgency to ongoing debates about Africa’s development trajectory.
