COVID-19 and Unemployment: Showcasing Sub-Saharan African Experience

Abstract

In the face of unusual global health crisis, governments would strive to foster right conditions through maintenance of broad-based macro-economic management for businesses to thrive. However, the COVID-19 pandemic response measures have put a disproportionate burden on most economies, especially in the region with high economic vulnerabilities. Between 2020 and 2021, the outbreak of COVID-19 has not only upended normal economic and social pattern but also distorted the development trajectory in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Hence, this study reveals how lack of economic resilience weakened policymakers’ capacity to maintain an inclusive and sustainable policy approach across African countries, which has accentuated underdevelopment and unemployment crisis. Through the conceptual coverage of the economic impact of COVID-19 policy measures in the SSA region, the adverse effect of the pandemic on employment is further confirmed. The effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on unemployment seems to have outweighed the resulting morbidity and fatality. Furthermore, the impact of COVID-19 policy responses on unemployment was found to be pervasive in key SSA economies like Nigeria and South Africa. This has led to entrenched social crisis and pandemic-induced economic challenges in the region. It is therefore suggested that maintaining appropriate policy measures is critical to offsetting the structural characteristics that have given rise to unemployment crisis in the region. In addition, with the support of international organizations, the use of COVID-19 vaccines with effective treatments should be encouraged across African countries.