By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has called for urgent and collaborative action to address pressing socio-economic challenges facing the continent in 2025.
In his New Year message, General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, outlined a comprehensive roadmap to tackle critical issues such as unemployment, debt crises, inadequate social protection, and climate change, which continue to exacerbate socio-economic injustice across Africa.
Odigie also highlighted food security, gender equality, democracy, civil liberties and multilateralism as priority areas to improve industrial relations in the continent in 2025.
ITUC-Africa General Secretary highlighted the persistent and growing challenge of unemployment, especially among youth, who make up over 60% of Africa’s jobless population.
Odigie noted that despite Africa’s vast potential, structural economic barriers and external shocks have perpetuated high unemployment rates and increased reliance on precarious informal jobs.
He called for collective efforts to develop and accelerate skills development across the continent, including ensuring that skills incubation centres are spread across all communities and constituencies on the African continent.
With total public debt surpassing $1.5 trillion in 2024, the ITUC-Africa General Secretary highlighted Africa’s mounting debt crisis, emphasizing that debt servicing consumes over 50% of government revenues, leaving little room for social investments.
He therefore reiterated the organisation’s advocacy for debt forgiveness, responsible lending practices, and transparency in debt management.
Odiger also said rising inflation, averaging 15% across the continent, has further deepened economic vulnerabilities, disproportionately affecting women, children, and informal sector workers.
With only 17.8% of Africa’s population covered by social protection systems, ITUC-Africa stressed the urgency of expanding safety nets.
The organisation advocated for innovative financing mechanisms, such as taxing luxury goods and curbing corruption, to fund social protection initiatives.
To improve trade and integration, the organisation called for support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by improving infrastructure, modern payment systems, and free movement of people via visa reviews for Africans and deepening integration to unlock economic potential.
ITUC-Africa underscored the importance of addressing the dual crises of climate change and gender inequality. The organisation demanded greater financial commitments from industrialized nations to support Africa’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Odigie also urged governments to implement gender-responsive policies, including equal pay and protections against workplace harassment, while advocating for the ratification of ILO Convention 190.
The ITUC-Africa General Secretary urged policymakers to prioritize inclusive economic policies, peacebuilding efforts, and investments in sustainable development.
He called on African governments, trade unions, and allies to embrace collaborative solutions.
“While the challenges are daunting, they are surmountable. We call for solidarity and cooperation to create a just and equitable Africa for all,” Odigie stated.
