Study hard, get your degree, and then step confidently into a stable, well-paid job. That’s long been the assumption about how to secure a livelihood: in neat, predictable stages. But it is increasingly out of touch with reality. Secure jobs are no longer guaranteed after obtaining a tertiary qualification.
Up-to-date and reliable data on graduate unemployment in Africa is hard to come by. A 2014 British Council study estimated that nearly one in four Nigerian graduates (23.1%) were unemployed. In Kenya, the study said, it took graduates an average of five years to secure their first job. In South Africa, graduate unemployment stood at just 5.8% in 2008. By 2023, this had more than doubled to 11.8%. When looking specifically at young graduates aged 20–29 – a useful proxy for those newly entering the job market – the figure is even starker: nearly one in three (30.3%) were unemployed in 2023.
These figures signal a crisis. The mismatch between graduates and opportunities makes it clear that it’s essential to find diverse ways of making a living.
So what do graduates do to generate livelihoods? We recently conducted research tracking more than 500 African tertiary graduates across 21 universities (nine in African countries and 12 in other countries) over five years to provide some answers.
The findings showed that graduates were piecing together livelihoods from multiple sources rather than walking the straight road of a career. Their paths were complex. Only 16% of the total sample moved smoothly from tertiary education into a job and remained in employment over the period of the survey.
Knowing this, universities can help provide graduates with the skills and resources they will need for the real world.
Graduates build portfolios of income
The study showed that African graduates are resourceful in generating livelihoods. From their responses we identified some trends.
First, they do more than one thing. Almost half of the respondents were engaged in more than one activity – for example, working while running a side business or pursuing further studies. A Ugandan graduate explained how he juggled salaried work, family farming projects and continued education.
Second, they make education itself a livelihood. Scholarships, postgraduate degrees and research opportunities provided both income and stability. Others use underemployment (jobs that don’t match their qualification, skills or ambitions) as stepping stones, gaining experience while waiting for better opportunities.
Third, entrepreneurship or self-employment has a role. While only a small minority relied solely on their own businesses, about a fifth of graduates supplemented their income in this way. Some sold goods, others started NGOs or social enterprises, and many saw entrepreneurship as a safety net in an unpredictable labour market.
But this isn’t just about necessity. Graduates are motivated by opportunity, passion projects, and the chance to build something of their own, often with family members. This challenges the common view that entrepreneurship in Africa is driven only by desperation. In reality, necessity and opportunity overlap, and both are part of how graduates make a living.
Beyond ‘waiting’ for an opportunity
The pathways described by graduates don’t fit the conventional picture of being “stuck” or “unemployed”. Instead, they are marked by movement, improvisation and continuous reinvention.
Even when underemployed, graduates often describe their jobs as dignified or at least as stepping stones. They are investing in their futures, sharpening skills and building networks.
This kind of agency (the capacity to navigate uncertainty and imagine alternative futures) is a crucial resource. It allows young Africans to find dignity and purpose in contexts where institutional support and job opportunities are limited.
What universities can do differently to prepare graduates
These findings raise tough questions for universities. If the education-to-employment pipeline is so complex, what role should higher education play in preparing graduates? Our research points to some answers:
First, universities must stop clinging to outdated concepts like “employability”. Degrees are not tickets to stable jobs. Instead, education should prepare students for diversified, non-linear livelihoods. This means teaching not just technical skills but also resilience, adaptability and entrepreneurial thinking.
Entrepreneurship education is one starting point. Courses on business planning, financial management and networking can help graduates who want to start or sustain ventures.
But skills alone are not enough. Without supportive ecosystems, such as incubators, access to finance and mentorship, many small businesses fail. Universities could act as hubs, linking students and graduates to government programmes, private sector partners and alumni networks. Partnerships between universities and government agencies, like South Africa’s National Youth Development Agency which funds business ventures, need to be forged.
Career services also need to evolve. Rather than focusing narrowly on job placements, universities should help students explore multiple career paths, build social capital and access opportunities for income diversification. Practical resources, like co-working spaces, short courses or “micro-credentials” that allow graduates to quickly pick up new skills, and seed funding could give graduates a head start.
Finally, alumni networks are a powerful but underused asset. Showcasing graduates who have successfully diversified their income can inspire others and change the prevailing narrative.
Education should no longer be seen simply as a bridge to wage employment, but as a platform for building flexible, multi-dimensional livelihoods.
A new story of graduate life
The African youth population is still growing, and the labour market will not suddenly expand to meet demand. That reality can sound daunting. But the stories of young graduates also show resilience, creativity and determination. They are not passively “waiting” for jobs – they are actively constructing futures, often against the odds.
Universities and other tertiary education institutions must catch up. By supporting entrepreneurship, fostering networks and recognising the reality of non-linear transitions, they can help graduates navigate uncertainty with confidence.
The future of work in Africa will not be defined by smooth transitions, but by complex entanglements. Recognising and supporting these entanglements may be one of the most important tasks of higher education in the decades ahead.
Andrea Juan, Chief Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council and Adam Cooper, Chief Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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