By 2035, sub-Saharan Africa’s workforce will have more working-age people than the rest of the world combined. According to the World Bank, this boost to the continent’s working population will lead to double its current continental GDP growth, at 15%. This prospect has attracted the attention of international investors.

But Africa faces certain challenges. Limited public transport makes it difficult for workers commuting into cities, with citizens in major cities in Kenya, Algeria and the Central African Republic have some of the longest commute times in the world. A report from McKinsey Global Institute found that just 28% of Africa’s labour force hold stable wage paying jobs – despite 37 million roles having been created over the past decade. Instead, 63% pursue other employment options, be it self-employment or so-called “vulnerable employment” such as subsistence farming or street hawking. Certain barriers – be it infrastructure or economic factors – have prevented many candidates from fulfilling full-time job positions in city centres.

The conditions are ripe for a flexspace boom in Africa, as the Fourth Industrial Revolution ignites a new way of working.

Fortunately, the arrival of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing fresh opportunities: an era of automated processes, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) is set to transform industries. Many of the new jobs that these technologies create won’t require team members to work in the same place – or even on the same continent. The Fourth Industrial Revolution will require a new army of coders. Widespread investment in such African cities has boosted citizens’ access to mobile broadband and fibre-optic cable connections from where they live, removing previous barriers to employment. Flexible working might also become the best option for workers, especially if the ‘revolution’ creates more new jobs that require little more than a laptop and an internet connection.

While a culture of flexible working would not only empower more African citizens to work remotely, it would also mean a greater range of workspace options on the continent. Multinational companies and local entrepreneurs looking to expand their footprint in Africa will be able to source flexspace tailored to their business aims and the pace of growth. And as cities like Nairobi, Lagos and Kigali gather momentum as tech hubs, they will better retain home-grown talent seeking opportunities to build their career in a start-up, or to get their business ideas off the ground. As they grow, entrepreneurs need workspace that grows with them. And startup.ng will be there to serve the needs of both the start-up and multi-national businesses that are keen to reap the benefits of flexible workspace.