Africa’s “green” employment prospects are positive, according to Forecasting Green Jobs in Africa by Shortlist and FSD Africa in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group.

The report predicts up to 3,3 million direct green jobs will be available across Africa by 2030 with significant emphasis on the renewable energy sector, particularly solar.

It provides detailed forecasts for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa – broadly defining green jobs as “decent jobs in traditional or emerging sectors that contribute substantially to preserving or restoring environmental quality”.

The report analyses job creation potential across 12 green sub-sectors (solar, wind, geothermal, hydro, battery storage, power transmission and distribution, electric two-wheelers, charging infrastructure, climate-smart agriculture, aquaculture and poultry, ecosystem conservation and nature-based solutions and waste remediation and recycling).

South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria are expected to create 25% of the jobs, driven by South Africa’s advanced development, Kenya’s solar technology advancements and Nigeria’s projected population growth to 260 million by 2030.

South Africa is expected to create up to 275 000 of these jobs with the solar sector leading in the creation of around 140 000 jobs.

“The main focus now is to enable a range of stakeholders to act on solid data, develop the workforce and support the ecosystem,” the report states.

Key recommendations include attracting and retaining skilled workers through competitive wages, career development and upskilling opportunities – and engaging with stakeholders to refine job forecasts, investing in education and training and assessing the labour market.

The report also suggests creating policies that incentivise green job creation, supporting on-the-job skills development and targeting investments in high-potential sectors like solar energy, climate-smart agriculture and recycling.