10 Main Causes of Underdevelopment in Africa

10 Main Causes of
Underdevelopment in
Africa
The following blog post will highlight the most important reasons
African countries have not developed. It is an informative article
that can help you understand more about this topic.
It will also analyse how Africans can solve these problems and what
needs to happen next.
After reading this article, you will determine which factors have
contributed to a lack of development in some African countries and
how they can overcome these problems. Finally, a list of valuable
resources at the end if you want to read more on this subject or
learn how to contribute!
1. Corruption
One of the biggest problems in Africa today is corruption. Corruption
can take many forms, and it might be challenging to understand
what counts as corruption and what doesn’t.
In this context, I mean the abuse of a position of power by public

officials for private interests or personal gain. This happens when
people entrusted with power use their authority for their benefit.
When this happens, the government and people become

disorganized and lose motivation to develop.
The problem is that impoverished African governments can’t invest

enough money into health care, education, infrastructure, etc. They
need to use their already scarce resources on corruption, such as
paying public officials salaries or funding more projects.
This problem is widespread in the continent today, which causes

underdevelopment in Africa.
2. Poor government policies
Many African governments have implemented policies that prevent
the continent from developing.
These governments have often been responsible for economic crises

and political instability. Many Governments either fail or refuse to
sustainably solve domestic problems, such as poverty,
unemployment, and hunger.
This is because African countries often lack the resources to govern

themselves effectively. There are many civil servants in some
African countries where the state is involved in every aspect of
society. The result is terrible management or even incompetence
because corruption hinders good governance.
3. Unemployment
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It is estimated that 60% of the African population is between 15 and
24 years old, which creates a ‘youth bulge.’
This means there are many young people in Africa today. These
youth are not employed or have no work experience. This causes
severe social problems because young people become frustrated
when they do not develop their lives.
This frustration grows when they see other people succeeding

without working hard, which means enormous pressure on some
individuals to succeed in Africa today.
4. Insufficient infrastructure
Most African countries have insufficient infrastructure. This refers to
roads, railways, and airports that are not adequate to allow trade or
tourism. It’s also about having an electricity grid that allows the
population to use appliances like washing machines and computers.
The lack of infrastructure in Africa today is a significant obstacle to
development because it limits people’s ability to do business across
borders. This means there are fewer opportunities for work, which
leads to unemployment and poverty throughout the continent.
5. High Levels of Illiteracy

Although many African countries have compulsory primary
education, this does not apply to secondary and tertiary education.
Many parents do not send their children to school because they
need them to work and contribute to the economy.
Many African countries also have problems with teachers who are
not adequately trained or paid enough money. Students do not
receive proper lessons and can’t get a good education.
Illiteracy is common in Africa today, limiting the development of

people throughout the continent.
6. Unfavourable business conditions

Many African businesses operate under trying conditions. On the
one hand, many countries have a limited stock of natural resources
and business opportunities for investors. On the other side, African
companies face high taxes and high-interest rates, poor
infrastructure, and insufficient access to financial services such as
loans and credit cards.
7. Insufficient Skilled Labour

Another cause of underdevelopment in Africa today is the lack of
skilled workers. Most African countries do not have enough qualified
teachers, doctors, engineers, etc., so many Africans cannot offer
their services in these parts of society.
There are often too few job opportunities for well-qualified

professionals to make a living in Africa today, so they must look
elsewhere. This shortage also means that education and health care
in Africa is often unsatisfactory.
8. Poor Public Project Supervision
It is often said that building a road in Africa is easy but challenging
to maintain. Poor supervision means many African countries have
roads, railways, and other infrastructures that are not maintained or
abandoned.
This leads to bad conditions for transport throughout the continent,

limiting trade development between African countries.
9. Lack of Political will

This is one of the significant causes of underdevelopment in Africa
today. Many African governments are not fully committed to using
the resources available to improve living conditions throughout the
continent.
This means that much-needed international aid money intended for

development is misappropriated and used dubiously, or there may
be a lack of investment in necessary infrastructure.
In addition, politicians sometimes misuse public funds when they

are holding office. This often leads to a lack of transparency and
undermines good governance, which is an essential factor in
development on the continent today.
10. Excessive Regulation
Many African countries have laws and regulations that make it hard
for businesses to succeed (or even do business) throughout the
continent. While these measures are designed to improve safety and
the standard of living, they often have the opposite effect because
they are poorly implemented or too strict.
The good news is that African leaders are aware of the problems in
Africa today. They are gradually making improvements to make it
easier for African countries to develop and become more
competitive worldwide.
How Can Africans Solve These Problems?
Underdevelopment in Africa will only end when African leaders do
more to improve living conditions by working together and making
political progress.
Worldwide, several organizations support African development.

These organizations provide training for children in Africa, help
create job opportunities, improve road safety, encourage good
governance, and much more.
In addition to supporting these organizations, which help Africa

today, you can support African countries by making an effort to buy
and use products and services from the continent (or from Africans
living in other countries).
This will make it easier for these businesses to improve their

operations and provide more opportunities. It’s also an excellent
way to show your support for African development!
Africans need to be more involved in improving living conditions

throughout the continent. They should make an effort to support
good governance, create job opportunities, and ensure that they
earn enough money for their families by working hard or starting
their own businesses.
These are all ways that Africans can help fight underdevelopment in
Africa today. These steps will also lead to more opportunities for
Africans throughout the continent with time.
This is why it’s so important that African countries move forward

with political and economic development initiatives and work
together to improve the standard of living in Africa.
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10 Main Causes of

In this context, I mean the abuse of a position of power by public

When this happens, the government and people become

The problem is that impoverished African governments can’t invest

This problem is widespread in the continent today, which causes

These governments have often been responsible for economic crises

This is because African countries often lack the resources to govern

This frustration grows when they see other people succeeding

5. High Levels of Illiteracy

Illiteracy is common in Africa today, limiting the development of

6. Unfavourable business conditions

7. Insufficient Skilled Labour

There are often too few job opportunities for well-qualified

This leads to bad conditions for transport throughout the continent,

9. Lack of Political will

This means that much-needed international aid money intended for

In addition, politicians sometimes misuse public funds when they

10. Excessive Regulation

Worldwide, several organizations support African development.

In addition to supporting these organizations, which help Africa

This will make it easier for these businesses to improve their

Africans need to be more involved in improving living conditions

This is why it’s so important that African countries move forward

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