Nigeria, July 21 -- Nigeria and South Africa are Africa's largest economies, and their development significantly impacts their regions and the continent as a whole. Updated forecasts by the African Futures and Innovation (AFI) team at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reveal the varying impact of the informal sector on both economies and their regions.

South Africa's informal sector accounts for 17 per cent of its labour force, significantly lower than Nigeria at 68 per cent and Africa's average of 58 per cent. Our analysis shows how context-specific approaches to informality could contribute to inclusive economic growth and reduce unemployment.

Compared to West Africa, Southern Africa's development has been lacklustre when unemp...