Africa faces a significant job deficit, with millions of young job-seekers entering the market annually against a limited number of formal job openings.

• 10 to 12 million young people are added to Africa's labour market each year.
• The African Development Bank (AfDB) highlights that only three million formal jobs are generated annually.
• This disparity suggests that unpaid work may be emerging as an "unlikely career ladder" for many young Africans.