On World Day for Decent Work, the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation – [ITUC‑Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Trade_Union_Confederation#ITUC_Africa) – urged governments across the continent to prioritise the creation of quality jobs and guarantee living wages, highlighting the urgent need to address soaring youth unemployment and informal work.
The appeal was delivered in a statement by the body’s general secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie, marking the international observance of decent work.
The organisation noted that Africa’s youthful demographic should be a catalyst for growth, yet millions of young people are confined to insecure, poorly paid informal jobs.
It cautioned that the relatively low youth unemployment rates reported for sub‑Saharan Africa should not be mistaken for success, because many young individuals cannot afford to stay jobless and are therefore compelled to accept precarious work.
According to ITUC‑Africa, almost nine out of ten young workers in low‑ and lower‑middle‑income nations are employed informally, a figure drawn from the [International Labour Organization](https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the- ilo/how-the-ilo-works/multilateral-system/lang--en/index.htm)’s Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026.
**What does the data reveal?**
Odigie warned that this situation has generated a substantial deficit in decent work, with many young employees lacking contracts, social protection, safe conditions and effective representation.
He also highlighted that young Africans are being pushed onto hazardous migration routes in search of better prospects, while others fall prey to exploitation in platform and gig‑economy jobs.
**How are women affected?**
The statement added that young women face an extra layer of discrimination and gender‑based violence within the workplace.
**What actions are being demanded?**
The ITUC‑Africa secretary called on African governments, the [African Union](https://au.int), regional economic communities and employers to embed decent‑job creation at the heart of economic policy through industrial strategies and structural transformation.
He specifically demanded the adoption of living wages and universal social protection for all workers, including those in informal, migrant and platform sectors.
The body further urged authorities to ensure safe and fair labour migration, protect African migrant workers and combat Afrophobia and xenophobia.
It also called for greater mobilisation of domestic resources by curbing illicit financial flows and addressing the continent’s debt burden, which it said siphons off public investment in jobs, education and health care.
ITUC‑Africa encouraged its affiliates to intensify efforts to organise young workers, open leadership positions to them and keep trade unions accessible to the next generation of African labourers.
“Decent work is a right,” the organisation affirmed, stressing that Africa’s youth deserve a future built on dignity, justice and hope.