African University Graduates Turn to Entrepreneurship Amid High Unemployment and Migration Challenges

Malawi-Every university graduate's proudest moment is graduating with their academic credentials and using them to enter the competitive job market. Some are fortunate enough to find employment, while others migrate to other areas or abroad in search of work, writes Naome Chisala.

For business-savvy graduates, starting their own business can be a lifeline to overcoming unemployment challenges.

Unemployment among African university graduates remains a huge problem. A 2016 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report stated that of South Africa's 5 million unemployed people at the time, 3.5 million were under 35, with over 170,000 being university graduates.

According to a 2019 Afrobarometer report, more than one in three Africans has considered leaving the continent, with young and educated people more likely to want to leave due to unemployment, poverty, and economic hardship.

This was the main reason for migration in almost all 34 surveyed countries, accounting for 44% and 29%.

In the same survey, approximately half of all young adults and highly educated citizens stated that they had considered leaving their country.

People considering emigrating mostly wanted to migrate within their own region (29%) or go elsewhere in Africa (7%). For those who want to leave Africa, Europe (27%) and North America (22%) were the next most popular destinations.

"If you can't find a job, create one," goes the saying. This is precisely what businesswomen Natasha Kaunda and Neema Mallya did.

Hailing from Lusaka, Zambia, 35-year-old Natasha Kaunda is a self-taught entrepreneur who runs a small business called Scents More.

The business specializes in selling candles, body butter, bath soaps, and body scrubs. In addition to this venture, Kaunda also sells cakes, muffins, cookies, and biscuits.

Kaunda graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Administration from Species College in Zimbabwe and started her business in 2021. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kaunda worked as a receptionist at RTG Group in Zambia.

"I have always loved making self-care products, and before I started my business, I taught myself how to make different types of candles," she says.

"I chose to start a business because I was struggling to find work after my employers left Zambia for Ireland."

Operating alone and working from home, Kaunda conducts her business and transactions online. Her primary customers are mostly university students and working men and women.

"When I started my business, my customer base was small, and I was supplying my products to supermarkets," she says.

"Despite this, my products received positive reviews from customers and markets, which eventually led to increased demand for my products."

"After my business began to thrive, I decided to train the local community where I reside on how to make candles to support themselves."

Kaunda's business has become profitable, helping her financially. With the profits she has earned, she plans to buy land and a farm.

As with any business, Kaunda's enterprise has also encountered its fair share of challenges. "When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Zambia, it was difficult for me to obtain supplies for my business because my supplies came from South Africa, and this was happening at a time when the country was going through lockdown," she says.

"A few years ago, Zambia also experienced inflation, and I thought of leaving the country, but I have since learned to work with the economic situation."

Given the success she has achieved with her business, I ask Kaunda what advice she would offer to university graduates struggling to find work and those who have opted to migrate to other countries in search of better opportunities.

"I would advise university graduates not to give up in their search for employment or starting a business," she says.

"Seeking employment is a good idea if you have the right qualifications and goals and enjoy what you do. If you plan to start a business, you must first plan and determine how much capital will be required to launch the business, and most importantly, you must believe in yourself and your ideas. A business doesn't have to be huge to be successful; it can be a simple enterprise where you utilize your talents and skills."

"For those graduates who choose to migrate to other countries in search of better opportunities, I would advise them not to migrate if they are experiencing economic stability while living in their respective countries," she adds.

"If what they are doing is working for them in their country, there is no need for them to migrate. However, if better opportunities exist abroad, then they should migrate. It all depends on each individual's situation."

Neema Mallya (32) is another university graduate who chose to remain in her home country (Tanzania) and pursue business and employment opportunities.

Mallya established a small business called Ney Kitenge in 2022, which is located in Dar es Salaam and specializes in selling kitenge (cotton fabrics) worn by women and girls.

Mallya, like Kaunda, has faced challenges in her business.

One of the main difficulties she has encountered is customers failing to pay their debts. She offers loans to customers who purchase her kitenge fabrics, but some have not paid her back, which has affected her cash flow.

Despite these setbacks, Mallya remains optimistic about her business and plans to expand it in the future. When asked about her advice to university graduates struggling to find work or considering migration, Mallya encourages them to start their own businesses.

"My advice to university graduates is to create their own employment. Starting a business is not easy, but it's worth it in the end," she says.

"They should look for opportunities in the market and use their skills and knowledge to create a business that solves a problem or meets a need. If they can't find a job, they should create one.”

Mallya advised university graduates wanting to venture into business, saying, "My advice to them is to be risk takers because a business has a profit or loss. My younger siblings and I have always been businesspeople, both during and before our time in university, and it has helped us be financially independent because we knew of the difficulties, we might face in finding employment after graduating from university. As self-taught businesspeople, we have operated our own small businesses from hairdressing, selling clothes, phones, cakes, kitenge (cotton fabric), traditional Maasai flip-flops, beaded necklaces, and handbags."

When asked about her thoughts on university graduates who choose to migrate to other countries in search of better opportunities, Mallya replied, "Working or studying in another country is not an issue. What is more important is having a positive impact on one's society. For instance, while I was still a university student, I remember one of my fellow tourism students starting a small catering company that not only helped her financially but also helped society by offering a service as well as employment."

Two African university graduates, Natasha and Neema, have demonstrated that simple ideas and everyday items, which are often overlooked, can be turned into profitable businesses to address the high unemployment rates among graduates.

Their success story shows that university graduates should not limit themselves to searching for employment and migrating, as starting a business, whether big or small, can provide employment opportunities and financial stability.