ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the world of work, how people earn their livelihoods in the economies of the countries of Africa. It begins with an examination of formal and informal sector employment with special attention to the character and magnitude of the informal economy in comparison with the formal economy. The chapter analyzes some central issues of labor and livelihoods in Africa. Informal labor and workers in the informal economy constitute the largest part of the total labor force in virtually all of the countries of Africa. There are two general categories of forces behind the deficiency of productive employment, namely the supply of labor and the demand for labor. The International Labour Organization defines "child labor" as Work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. Entrepreneurship has long been recognized as performing a central role in economic development.
