Greater Manchester African Forum 2022

Africa’s population is expected to grow to 2.5 billion by the year 2035. Currently 70% of Africans are under the age of 30. The region boast 30% of the world’s mineral resources and 65% of the planet’s arable agricultural land. South Africa, for example, holds 90% of the world’s platinum reserves, while Nigeria and Libya are among the top ten countries with the largest oil reserves. Africa also has the largest cobalt reserves, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounting for more than two-thirds of global supplies. As the world transitions to green energy sources, cobalt has become a strategic resource, particularly in the automotive and power generation industries. Kenya and Ghana have the second and third highest mobile payment usage after China, demonstrating Africa’s enormous potential. Mobile transactions account for 87% of Kenya’s GDP and 82% in Ghana. To put this in context, the African mobile payment market could have 850 million customers by 2025, which is 100 million more than Europe’s total population.

When and Where