Leila Ben Hassen : « Africa’s Blue Workforce: Seizing the tides of opportunity »

Africa’s Ocean Moment

The ocean is rising both as a physical force and as a dynamic economic frontier. While the world scrambles to mitigate the risks of rising seas, Africa must also recognise the unparalleled opportunity at its shores. 

As co-author of the recent blue paper, “The Future of the Workforce in a Sustainable Ocean Economy,” commissioned by the World Resources Institute (WRI) for the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy ( Ocean Panel), I’ve had the privilege of diving deep into the data, experts opinions, and solutions shaping this transformative space. This is no longer just an environmental agenda. It’s a business imperative.

 By 2050, we face two stark futures: gain 51 million new ocean jobs or lose 40 million. Africa’s business leaders, financiers, and policymakers should act decisively and collaboratively to ensure no one is left behind in the just transition toward a regenerative and inclusive blue economy.

The Ocean Economy: Past, Present, and Future

Today, the ocean economy employs formally over 133 million people globally, but this figure is likely undercounted. Informal and subsistence work, especially in Africa, could add millions of jobs.

Under a sustainable ocean scenario*, ocean employment could rise to by 51 million to 184 million ocean-related jobs worldwide by mid-century.

However, under a stalled transition scenario**, ocean-related employment could shrink by nearly 40 million, falling to just 91 million by 2050. 

For Africa, the opportunity is vast. Coastal tourism, artisanal fisheries, and port logistics are already strongholds of employment. Yet the continent has barely scratched the surface of high-potential sectors such as marine renewables, aquaculture, ocean conservation, and maritime innovation.

What’s Driving Change by 2030 and 2050

The Delphi research conducted for the blue paper revealed seven transformational drivers that will shape the future of ocean employment over the coming decades

1. Climate Change: Reshaping ecosystems, altering fish stocks, weather patterns, and creating demand for clean energy infrastructure.
2. Access to Investment and Finance: Determining whether innovative ocean sectors can scale, innovate, and attract capital.
3. Adoption of Sustainable Practices:  Opening pathways to green jobs and resilient industries.
4. Shifting Demand for Sustainable Ocean Goods and Services: Especially in food systems, transport, and tourism, driven by changing consumer expectations and international standards.
5. Sustainability and Regeneration: Moving beyond net-zero targets toward nature-positive models, circular economies, and ecosystem restoration.
6. Changing energy demand: Creating new job markets as countries transition from fossil fuels to offshore wind, tidal, and hybrid renewable energy systems.
7. Emerging and Innovative Industry Sectors: Including bioprospecting, digital ocean tech, marine robotics, and blue carbon markets.

The scale and pace of change will vary by region and sector. Without proactive investment in skills and inclusion, marginalised communities in developing nations risk being disproportionately affected.

Challenges Stakeholders must overcome

Each ocean stakeholder, from governments and the private sector to NGOs and civil society, faces distinct challenges as well as shared and interconnected ones. The main threats to progress are: 

• Data Gaps: Many African countries lack accurate, disaggregated data on ocean employment, especially in the informal economy.
• Skills Mismatch: New sectors demand digital, environmental, and technical skills not yet mainstream in existing training systems.
• Infrastructure & Financing Barriers: Limited access to training centres, digital infrastructure, and affordable finance slows innovation and job creation.
• Social Exclusion: Women, youth, and coastal communities are often sidelined in policy and investment decisions.
• Weak Governance: regulatory frameworks, under-enforced laws, and institutional capacity gaps hinder progress.

To overcome these challenges, siloed approaches must give way to collaborative, data-driven, and inclusive ocean workforce strategies.

Africa’s Untapped Blue Opportunities

Africa holds enormous potential if it embraces a just and sustainable ocean transition:

• Marine Renewable Energy: Though currently underrepresented in global deployment, Africa’s vast coastlines and solar-wind resources can power offshore energy hubs and create green jobs.
• Sustainable Aquaculture: By 2050, aquaculture will account for 75% of global fish production. Africa’s workforce can lead in climate-resilient aquaculture, creating inclusive jobs for youth and women.
• Blue Tourism: With its cultural richness and pristine coasts, Africa can expand eco-tourism and attract more cruise traffic through modernized ports, potentially generating 2 to 2.5 million direct jobs.
• Ocean Restoration: Jobs in marine protected areas (MPAs), mangrove reforestation, and climate adaptation can boost biodiversity while offering new income streams.
• Smart Ports and Logistics: Investments in port modernisation under the AfCFTA will stimulate jobs in trade, tech, logistics, and customs reform.

These sectors are not just growth areas; they are solutions to youth unemployment, food insecurity, and economic inequality.

A Call to Action: How Leaders Can Build a Blue Workforce

Africa’s leaders and partners must take bold, coordinated action to shape a resilient ocean workforce. Key recommendations include:

• Invest in Data and Workforce Assessments to guide evidence-based policies and investments.
• Develop National and Regional Blue Skills Strategies aligned with the real needs of emerging ocean sectors.
• Expand Access to Education, Vocational Training & Lifelong Learning, especially for women, youth, and coastal communities.
• Create Innovative Financing Tools that blend public and private capital for training, infrastructure, and SMEs.
•  Embed Equity in All Workforce Planning so that the transition is inclusive, not extractive.
•  Support Informal-to-Formal Transitions with social protections and pathways to decent work.
• Accelerate Digital Ocean Literacy: Prepare workers for Industry 4.0 in ocean-tech, robotics, and data-driven services.

The Ocean Is Africa’s Present and Future, Let’s Work for It

The sustainable ocean economy is no longer a vision of the future; it is today’s most undervalued economic engine. If we act decisively, Africa can be at the forefront of creating millions of dignified, future-ready jobs while regenerating the ecosystems we depend on.

But the transition will not be automatic. It requires bold policy, a blue skills strategy, innovative financing mechanisms, regional cooperation, and a deep commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance.

It demands commitment, sustainability leadership, coordination, and investment. We need to unite business acumen, policy vision, and community engagement to unlock the full potential of the blue workforce.

As someone deeply engaged in the field, I invite business leaders, investors, and institutions to step forward, not just as supporters, but as co-creators of Africa’s blue workforce revolution.

Let’s ensure Africa is not left behind, but is fully included and empowered in shaping a just, inclusive, and regenerative ocean economy. 

Read the Full Report:  https://oceanpanel.org/publications/
Watch: Future of Employment in a Sustainable Ocean Economy

References: 

*:  OECD (2025) The Ocean Economy to 2050

**: OECD (2025) The Ocean Economy to 2050