Last year’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, alongside wider foreign aid cuts from European donors, had far-reaching consequences across Africa, forcing the shutdown of programs and organizations across the continent, and leaving thousands of development professionals without jobs.
During a recent Devex event, Allwell Akhigbe, CEO and cofounder of Travaille Ensemble, described the impact as catastrophic, noting that aid organizations and United Nations agencies had previously provided the vast majority of the continent’s development funding.
Joining Akhigbe for a conversation on how these events are shifting the development job market in Africa, Jacqueline Sambu, CEO and founder of Tai Talent Matters, said there is now a dense pool of experienced professionals competing for very few job options. Many, she noted, are trying to understand how they can pivot into other sectors, notably the private sector, which they hope will provide greater career stability.