Demography, Development and Demagogues. Is Population Growth Good or Bad for Economic Development?

Africa's population continues to grow at a rapid rate, making it the fastest growing continent globally. The continent will most likely double its current population by 2050 by increasing from the current figure of 1 billion to 2 billion by 2050. The relationship between population growth and economic development continues to be greatly debated in the international development discourse. While there is no consensus on the matter, a dominant theme posits population growth as a potential threat to economic development, which has led to various commitment to the stabilization of population, particularly in many Africa countries. However, this stand has been negated by the argument that economic growth performance of countries depends on other factors beyond population growth and that, while population growth impacts the population's age structure, this can influence the demographic transition and demographic dividend which impacts economic growth. This chapter explores the latter argument by exploring Africa's demographic features and its relationship with economic growth, reflecting the view that population growth might not always be bad for development.