Nigeria and Ghana have experienced a range of economic shocks over the past two decades, including natural disasters, commodity-price fluctuations, financial crises and global economic downturns. These shocks have significantly impacted the economic stability and growth prospects of both countries, emphasising the importance of developing effective resilience strategies. Nigeria and Ghana have implemented monetary and fiscal measures in response to various crises.

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Using data from a dedicated survey conducted by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) and led by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) in 2023 on SSB consumption patterns in Nigeria, this report begins by examining SSB consumption trends, revealing noticeable gender and age disparities.

The study suggests that a raise in SSB tax from the current N10 per liter to N130 per liter has the potential to generate substantial revenue and improved public healthcare in Nigeria. Specifically, the simulation shows that the excise tax revenue is projected to increase by about 927% (amounting to 729 billion naira per year), and this can be earmarked for improving Nigeria’s health system.

In terms of its health impact, it also suggests that mean prevalence of obesity would reduce by 0.46% for male and 0.53% for females. While mean prevalence for overweight would reduce by 0.42% for males and 0.37% for females.

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This Report was first published by CAPPA

This study examines the adoption of education technology (Ed-Tech) in primary and secondary education in 10 sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Benin, Malawi, and Senegal. The study assesses development and implementation of Ed-Tech policies and programmes in the region, exploring how far Ed-Tech has advanced learning outcomes, improved access, and reduced education inequalities within and between countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

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This study unpacks the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational inequalities and related education policy measures in Nigeria. Focusing on primary education, the study aimed to: (i) outline the state and dimensions of educational inequalities in Nigeria before the pandemic; (ii) understand the impact of COVID-19 on student learning performance; (iii) evaluate education-related pandemic measures and their impact on educational inequalities; and (iv) provide policy recommendations on how existing policy responses can be improved to reduce educational inequalities.

Using both quantitative and qualitative data, the study shows that educational inequalities increased during the pandemic across vulnerable groups, particularly low-income families, and children in rural areas. The results reveal a distinct pandemic-related learning loss among students. The dip in performance during the pandemic can be attributed to factors such as prolonged school closures, increased student leisure time, compromised nutrition, and lack of guidance from teachers.

Five key recommendations are made to build resilience in the educational sector and restore progress towards achieving SDG 4 (quality education), namely to: (i) upscale the accelerated learning programme; (ii) increase investment in communication and digital infrastructure; (iii) integrate digital learning into teaching; (iv) invest in adult education programmes; and (v) upscale teachers’ skills.

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Young people under the age of 30 account for nearly 70 percent of the population of Africa, making it the world's youngest continent (United Nations 2021). While this trend provides exciting opportunities for enhancing creativity and innovation, it comes with a high burden, as the formal education system and apprenticeship programs cannot adequately prepare a large number of young people for the future of work. As a result, the continent may have a large share of youths without high quality jobs for their desired quality of life. The future remains bleak as projections show that the number of youths in Africa will increase by 42 percent by 2030 (United Nations, 2015), further indicating the need to close the youth skills gap on the continent in order to actualize improved employment.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with over 200 million people and has the largest labor force in the continent (Macrotrends 2022; Global Business Service 2021). The most recent national labor force population survey shows that over 69.7 million Nigerians are within the working age group and are willing to work (NBS 2020a). Out of the 69.7 million people, over 42 percent of young people (aged 15-34 years) are unemployed (NBS 2020a). In this regard, Nigerians are found in the web of the informal economy, self-employment, and underemployment, which leaves many Nigerians, mostly youths, to experience vulnerable employment, poor working conditions, and high poverty (World Bank 2015). Indeed, in 2020, about a third of the youths (28.2 percent) were underemployed (NBS 2020a). Put together, Nigeria will need to deliver a large number of quality jobs for youths.

The manufacturing sector, which was long assumed to play a central role in generating considerable employment in Nigeria, has remained relatively stagnant over the years (Itaman and Awopegba 2021). Recent estimates show that the manufacturing sector accounts for less than 10 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP), and as a result, it employs only a small cohort of the labor force (World Bank 2022a). Accordingly, the contribution of the manufacturing sector to formal sector employment has remained stagnant, averaging 11.4 percent between 2011 and 2021 (World Bank 2022a). The situation
is further worsened by minimal employment opportunities in the public sector (World Bank 2015). A considerable share of young Nigerians who graduate each year with a degree, certificate, or diploma seem to prefer working with the government due to the perceived job security; however, public sector jobs have been in short supply over the past two decades (World Bank 2015). On the other hand, the private sector, which has been active in creating jobs, has been unable to adequately absorb the large number of people entering the labormarket (World Bank 2019b)

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