The Best Countries in Africa to Live and Work In

No matter your age or lifestyle, moving to a foreign country is an exciting chapter of life that everybody should experience. It’s easy to pick a neighbouring town or city that shares the same language and cultural nuances. However, it’s much more fun to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try a new country.

South America, Asia, and Europe are the most typical destinations for expats and remote workers. However, Africa is one of the greatest gems that our planet has to offer. This beautiful continent is renowned for its unique heritage, wide range of landscapes, dramatic wildlife, and charming population.

Not only this, but Africa also boasts of growing and emerging workforces across a wide range of sectors, such as the education, financial services, healthcare technology and renewable energy sources industry.

The quick paced nature of these emerging markets coupled with an extremely diverse landscape and lively lifestyle has made Africa one of the best continents to relocate to. Here are nine of the best countries in Africa to live and work in…

Nigeria

Moving to Nigeria is a unique experience for expats from all across the world. It’s one of the most populated countries in the continent and it’s a true melting pot of nationalities. Compared to the United States, the cost of living in Nigeria is significantly lower and jobs in the banking, business, and petroleum industry are high in demand. 

Ghana

Ghana shares its borders with the Ivory Coast, Togo, and Burkina Faso. It’s a lively country with easy access to accommodation, visas, and work. Some of the best paid jobs in Ghana include a shipping supervisor, project manager, teacher, and business analyst.

Namibia

Namibia sits just above South Africa and it’s generally a very safe place to live. It’s one of the richest countries in Africa, which makes the cost of living considerably higher. If you make the move to Namibia, we recommend you consider holiday insurance that can cover you in the case of a medical emergency. 

Rwanda

Although the Rwandan genocide left a dark taint on the reputation of this country, Rwanda is now one of the safest places to live. Over the past decade, there have been dozens of reforms in the country, leading to greater business and investment opportunities. Some key reforms include building permit processes and better-quality control in the construction sector.

South Africa

South Africa is the largest economy in the continent, which makes it an excellent place for work opportunities. There’s over 2,500 kilometres of coastline that looks across the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The IT technology, mining, manufacturing, and real estate sector are notable markets that keep growing at a fast pace.

Mauritius

The small island nation of Mauritius is ranked as one of the most beautiful places in the world and one of the safest places in Africa to live. To gain permanent residency for you and your family, you’ll need a work visa or a minimum investment of $375,000.

Morocco

On the northern coast of Africa lies the enchanting country of Morocco. It’s one of the cheapest African countries to relocate to and one of the easiest places to set up a business. The population is incredibly welcoming, and Moroccans are known for their great hospitality.  

Botswana

Botswana is one of the top travel destinations of the world thanks to its vivid wildlife and breath-taking scenery. Communicating in Botswana is much easier than other African countries if you only speak English. The population is relatively small; however, English is widely spoken, and the national economy is quickly growing.

Tanzania

Tanzania is located in East Africa and borders a wide range of African countries. Immigration laws are constantly in flux, so before you plan your move, you’ll need to consider the bureaucratic complications and restrictions for expats working in Tanzania. Nevertheless, once you get a visa sorted, you’ll fall in love with all that the country has to offer. 

All in all, the best way to decide where you want to live is by checking these countries out beforehand. To narrow down your search, we recommend doing a lot of research into factors such as quality of life, cost of living, access to opportunities, and safety.

Once you’ve compiled a small list of your top contenders, go on an extensive holiday to see what life over there would be like. It’s also worth asking friends or family if they have any experiences of their time in Africa that they can share.

Adversely, you could go online and find groups of expats to ask them all the questions you may have. Most importantly, make sure you prepare and plan your move as uprooting your life from one country to another can be both costly and time-consuming.