As Africa’s labor market undergoes significant changes, organizations are being urged to adopt new strategies to attract and retain talent. Speaking at the Regional HR Summit, Raymond Muthama, Chief People and Culture Officer at Zamara, emphasized the need for companies to prioritize meaningful employee engagement in order to retain talent in an increasingly competitive environment.
Muthama highlighted that businesses must focus on creating value for their employees, particularly as the global workforce dynamics shift towards a more purpose-driven approach. “If you provide a platform for meaningful work in your organization, your talent pool will remain. But if you do not give them the opportunity to grow within the organization and to express themselves, they will leave you,” he said.
His remarks come at a time when African businesses are facing high employee turnover rates, with many workers seeking career growth, personal fulfillment, and opportunities to innovate—factors that were less prominent in previous generations. This workforce transformation has become especially critical, as the majority of employees across industries in Africa are now aged between 30 and 35, with average tenures shrinking to just three years.
In the context of Africa’s youthful population, which accounts for 60% of the global labor force, Muthama stressed the need for African leaders to design solutions tailored to the continent. “Africa must be at the forefront of curating solutions for talent and workspaces. We have a responsibility to ensure we leverage our demographic advantage,” he added.
Emily Mburu Ndoria, Director for Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights, and Digital Trade at the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), reinforced this view, underlining the importance of regional integration in managing talent. “AfCFTA is spearheading the development of mutual recognition across the continent and helping in developing regulatory frameworks and agreements to enable the boundless movement of talent from one country to another,” Ndoria explained.
As businesses grapple with challenges like skills mismatches, technological disruptions, and the need for more inclusive workplaces, the summit, themed “Afrocentricity: Curating Solutions for Talent and Workspaces in Africa,” offered a platform for industry leaders and HR professionals to address these issues.
Sundeep Raichura, CEO of Zamara Group, noted that the summit’s focus on African solutions to talent management comes at a pivotal time. “The role of HR in shaping the future of work has never been more critical. We are at a turning point where the decisions we make today will determine the success of our organizations—and our continent—in the years to come,” Raichura said.
Raichura emphasized that Africa’s vast resources, including its rich human capital, provide a unique opportunity for the continent to assert itself on the global stage. “Our continent’s abundant resources and human capital uniquely position us on the global stage. It’s time to harness these strengths and turn them into tangible economic and social progress,” he added.
The Regional HR Summit, hosted by Zamara, brought together industry experts, HR leaders, and policymakers to explore strategies aimed at transforming talent management and building more resilient organizations. The discussions centered on creating innovative solutions for Africa’s workforce, addressing existing barriers, and leveraging Africa’s competitive advantage in the global labor market.
As one of Kenya’s leading financial services providers, Zamara has a broad regional footprint, with operations in Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as well as the United Arab Emirates. The company is committed to customer-centric solutions that offer value in the areas of actuarial services, pensions administration, consulting, and insurance brokerage.
The discussions at the HR summit are expected to have far-reaching implications as organizations across Africa look to adapt to the evolving needs of their workforce and capitalize on the opportunities presented by AfCFTA, positioning the continent as a leader in global talent management innovation.
As African economies continue to grow and integrate, talent management will become an even more crucial element in the success of organizations. The Regional HR Summit served as a timely reminder of the pressing need for African companies to rethink their talent strategies in a rapidly changing global landscape. From providing meaningful work experiences to leveraging regional frameworks that support talent mobility, businesses that adapt will be better positioned to thrive.
