Africa is often painted as a continent of misery, despair, and hopelessness. On a daily basis, news and pictures are presented by the media which perpetuate this image. Although media like newspapers cannot be faulted for presenting the public newsworthy events, they often paint a partial, biased picture of the continent. The result is distorted perceptions of African countries and circumstances, fuelled by stereotypes.

This CAI paper highlights Africa’s burgeoning middle class as key to the African Renaissance. Earlier this year, the African Development Bank (AfDB) released a report entitled ‘The middle of the pyramid: Dynamics of the middle class in Africa.’⁽²⁾ The report shows that Africa’s middle class has tripled over the last three decades to 313 million, or approximately 34% of Africa’s population.⁽³⁾ It states that the rapid increase in the number of middle class citizens can be attributed to strong economic growth and a shift towards a stable, salaried job culture as well as entrepreneurial activity, as opposed to traditional agricultural activities.⁽⁴⁾ The continent is clearly developing itself and this paper serves to promote the fact.

The rise of the plebeians

The AfDB report emphasises the rapid increase in middle class citizens which has occurred since 2000. In 1980, there were approximately 111 million middle class citizens: 26% of Africa’s population. In 1990, the number had risen to 151.4 million (27%), and in 2000, to 196 million (27.2%). By 2010, the number stood at 313 million (34%).⁽⁵⁾ The North African countries of Tunisia (90%), Morocco (85%) and Egypt (80%) had the highest percentage of middle class citizens.⁽⁶⁾ It is therefore not surprising that both Tunisia and Egypt toppled their oppressive governments.⁽⁷⁾ Botswana, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia and South Africa also have a high percentage of middle class citizens.⁽⁸⁾

Vijay Mahajan, author of Africa Rising, terms Africa’s middle class “Africa 2s” and notes that Africa’s middle class collectively is approximately the same size of the middle class of India or China.⁽⁹⁾ Vijay uses different criteria than the AfDB to measure Africa’s middle class and estimates that between 300 and 500 million of Africa’s population of 1 billion can be defined as middle class.

The general media has highlighted the AfDB’s report. It is generally held in democratic theory that a burgeoning middle class indicates a blossoming society, and that a powerful middle class which is collectively wealthier than the elite and more numerous than the poor invariably leads to a healthy, functional, and truly democratic society which is both accountable and responsive to the needs of its citizens and centred upon ensuring the welfare of all of its citizens, which often results in greater economic growth. For example, BBC News recently highlighted the technology revolution occurring in Africa by drawing attention to Kenya’s increasingly sophisticated mobile phone market, ShopAfrica53 in Ghana, and the SKA (Square Kilometre Array) in South Africa – a deep space telescope project.⁽¹⁰⁾ Africa’s burgeoning middle class is a promising sign of a more prosperous Africa in the future. A burgeoning middle class is, most importantly, a sign of strong economic growth, which implies that (at least parts of) Africa have been creating the conditions that facilitate the rise of a powerful middle class.⁽¹¹⁾

“Africa’s middle class is not only crucial for economic growth but it is essential for the growth of democracy… The middle class in Africa, like everywhere else, supports democratic governments that functional well and that are accountable... Africa’s middle class support states that provide public services like education, health, electricity and water… Africa’s middle class is strongest in countries that have robust and growing private sectors,”⁽¹²⁾ Vijaya Ramachandran, author of Africa’s Private Sector.
Conclusion

Although the AfDB noted that Africa’s burgeoning middle class is far from becoming a powerful, established middle class and still faces the danger of slipping into poverty again, we must focus on the fact that development in Africa is occurring all the time.⁽¹³⁾ Africans are taking the initiative and taking important steps towards a brighter future, despite what is often portrayed by the media. The next century might just be Africa's.

NOTES:

(1) Contact Casper Hendrik Claassen through Consultancy Africa Intelligence’s Optimistic Africa Unit ( optimistic.africa@consultancyafrica.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).
(2) Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, ‘Africa: Continent’s middle class triples to 313 million – Report’, The Chronicle, 17 May 2011, http://ghanaian-chronicle.com.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid.
(6) Ibid.
(7) Christine Mungai, ‘East Africa’s growing middle class hits 29 million’, The East African, 22 May 2011, http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke.
(8) Masahudu AnkiiluKunateh, ‘Africa: continent’s middle class triples to 313 million – report’, The Chronicle, 17 May 2011, http://ghanaian-chronicle.com.
(9) Andrew Meldrum, ‘Africa’s middle class: striving to develop a continent’, GlobalPost, 19 May 2010, http://www.globalpost.com.
(10) Egon Cossou, ‘Africa’s business technology revolution gathers pace’, BBC News, 24 May 2011, http://www.bbc.co.uk.
(11) Christine Mungai, ‘East Africa’s growing middle class hits 29 million’, The East African, 22 May 2011, http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke.
(12) Andrew Meldrum, ‘Africa’s middle class: striving to develop a continent’, GlobalPost, 19 May 2010, http://www.globalpost.com.
(13) Masahudu AnkiiluKunateh, ‘Africa: continent’s middle class triples to 313 million – report’, The Chronicle, 17 May 2011, http://ghanaian-chronicle.com.

Written by Casper Hendrik Claassen ⁽¹⁾