Most emerging markets have a serious infrastructure deficit. This critical infrastructure deficit includes basic infrastructure such as road networks, transportation networks (rail, waterways and airports) and support infrastructure such as power supply. As much as these challenges pose a major stumbling block to growth in emerging markets, they also create opportunities for daring entrepreneurs to develop critical solutions to either address the infrastructural deficit or to navigate around the deficits.

Many emerging markets such as Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt and India have a serious housing deficit. India is adding an average of 20 million people annually and all these people need to be accommodated somehow. In Egypt, the government has responded by embarking on an ambitious programme to bridge the housing deficit within the country. In South Africa, the ANC led government is still building RDP housing for its African population, twenty eight years after apartheid collapsed. In Nigeria, the challenge is frighteningly enormous. The population of the country is projected to increase to 300 million by 2030-35 and there are no visible plans yet to address the housing shortage. Entrepreneurs have a major opportunity to create innovative solutions that will meet this challenge. Generally, the urban population within Africa is expected to triple to 1.34 billion by 2050 according to World Economic Forum. This rapid urbanization would require critical infrastructure, new cities, new services and modern technology to leapfrog old cycles of development. All these present enormous opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Within the emerging markets cluster, various studies project that Africa’s population is expected to double by 2050 to 2.5 billion. Africa will have the highest number of young people within the next ten years. Already the average age in Africa is approximately 19.7 years and trending lower. The youth explosion could either be a major dividend or a challenge. This population will need to be educated, fed, transported and exposed to opportunities. The key is how to develop education systems that reduce the illiteracy rate across Africa while generating sustainable wealth for all concerned.

Given the pandemic that just occurred and the glaring differences in health care facilities between the advanced economies and emerging economies, health care infrastructure, services and technology-facing solutions will be in increased demand globally. Entrepreneurial opportunities exist for those willing to harness the enormous potentials that exist within the healthcare sector. Entrepreneurs will need to think outside the box to devise innovative solutions to address already existing challenges including this pandemic and future pandemics.

Africa holds about 60% of the arable land in the world. If harnessed properly, Africa’s natural advantage could become a boon for global food production. With modern technology and innovative solutions, the crop yield could quadruple from even the most optimistic estimates. It is thus imperative for companies and governments to collaborate to seize the opportunities that exist within this sector in emerging markets.