BONUS: Merryn Talks Money - Africa’s Growth Engine

About this episode

Economist Joe Studwell discusses how Africa's population boom could drive economic growth.

Here's a bonus episode from another Bloomberg podcast we think listeners to Next Africa might enjoy Could Africa’s long-misunderstood population boom become its greatest economic advantage? Economist and author Joe Studwell joins host Merryn Somerset Webb to discuss his book, How Africa Works: Success and Failure on the World's Last Developmental Frontier. He argues that rising population density is already transforming the continent by creating deeper markets, boosting agricultural productivity, supporting urbanization and making manufacturing more viable. While governance, debt and commodity dependence remain risks, he sees a more diverse, locally driven growth story emerging across Africa. Find more episodes from Merryn Talks Money here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Host: Merryn Somerset Webb

Guest: Joe Studwell

Topics covered

• Africa's population boom
• economic advantage
• agricultural productivity
• urbanization
• manufacturing
• governance risks
• local growth

Keywords

• Africa
• population boom
• economic growth
• agriculture
• urbanization
• manufacturing
• governance
• debt
• commodity dependence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Bloomberg

Books & works: How Africa Works: Success and Failure on the World's Last Developmental Frontier

More episodes of Next Africa

• Why Ethiopia’s Election Was Never in Doubt · June 11, 2026 · 15 min
• Can Africa Avoid An Ebola Economic Shock? · June 4, 2026 · 13 min
• Can African Founders Adapt as AI Boom Redirects Cash? · May 28, 2026 · 17 min
• Did Aid Cuts Make The Ebola Outbreak Worse? · May 21, 2026 · 19 min
• Bobi Wine On The Battle for Uganda's Future (Correct) · May 15, 2026 · 18 min
• Is Xenophobia Risking South Africa’s International Reputation · May 7, 2026 · 20 min