Private sector should integrate displaced people in prosperity journey

Four years on, we prepare to meet again for the Africa Forum on Displacement, this time in Nairobi.  The urgency has only grown, with the number of forcibly displaced people in Sub-Saharan Africa having surged from 36 million to over 45 million. To put this into perspective, that’s approximately equivalent to the entire population of Sudan.

At the same time, Africa’s private sector is on the rise, driven by innovation across fintech, agriculture, creative industries, telecommunications and infrastructure development.

This growth is unfolding against a backdrop of declining traditional donor funding, creating a dual reality of rising need and rising capacity. Yet, this is not merely a challenge, it is a defining tipping point for the future of the continent.

By 2050, Africa will be home to the world’s largest and youngest population, offering an unprecedented demographic dividend. If harnessed effectively, this youthful workforce can power inclusive growth, accelerate enterprise, and position the continent as a global engine of innovation and resilience.

Similar to many other parts of the world, displacement in Africa is no longer a temporary crisis. It is protracted, generational, and deeply complex.

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Millions of young people are born, raised, and come of age in displacement settings, yet in some cases remain legally excluded from economic participation.

Many refugees across the continent face barriers to education at all levels, with less than 7% accessing tertiary education and even fewer able to transition into meaningful employment. The majority also face restrictions on work, mobility, and enterprise, further limiting their potential.

In Kakuma, Kenya, refugee-led businesses generate more than $56 million in annual consumer activity, according to a 2019 report by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), forming a thriving informal economy that benefits both refugees and host communities.

In Burkina Faso, Malian refugees have revitalized local agriculture by partnering with host farmers—strengthening food systems in one of the region’s most fragile contexts.

In Kampala, Uganda, refugee entrepreneurs are creating jobs, paying taxes, and building businesses that are both local and scalable. These are not isolated successes, but the result of intentional pilot approaches. They are proof points of what’s possible when displaced people and host communities are equipped to achieve self-reliance.

This year’s Africa Forum on Displacement—convened by Amahoro Coalition, UNHCR, and Inkomoko, with support from Mastercard Foundation and the IKEA Foundation—builds on this momentum. Themed “All In,” the Forum calls on hundreds of Africa’s CEOs, investors, philanthropists, and other concerned stakeholders to move beyond conventional support and make concrete, market-based commitments.

The private sector holds the tools: capital, innovation, reach, and influence. What’s needed now is the will to act. From inclusive hiring practices to investment in refugee-led enterprises, from building job pipelines to expanding access to finance—there is no shortage of purposeful solutions. What we need are clear, measurable, and actionable pledges.

At previous forums held in Kigali in 2021 and Accra in 2023, bold commitments have translated into sustainable impact.  So far, we have seen over 43 pledges from companies, foundations, and individuals committed to entering or supporting work in several markets.

We urge investors to back companies led by displaced entrepreneurs, philanthropists to prioritize economic and climate resilience for all, entrepreneurs to consider displaced populations in their business entry and expansion plans. 

We urge policymakers to recognize that integrating displaced people is not charity but a roadmap for shared prosperity. The time for half-measures is over. The future is not tomorrow, it’s now and it demands that we act boldly, together.