Across the Sub-Saharan Africa’s procurement and supply salary respondents, there is both a consistency and a deviation with the global findings.
Our survey of this region reflects a consistent trend of procurement and supply professionals with MCIPS earning more than those without it, and with employees seeking to move jobs for the same reasons as their global counterparts, predominantly driven by either salary increases or greater job security. In Sub-Saharan Africa there is, however, a deviation from the global perspective on the importance of soft skills, with employers in this region prioritising technical skills as the most desirable skill set for employees.
Sub-Saharan Africa is notable for being the highest region for salary increases (14% vs a global average of 8.0%) and for trending strongest in terms of the region’s personal and professional AI preparedness. However, it also has a higher-than-average gender pay gap, and low bonus eligibility in comparison to other regions.
Please note: Our survey sample for Sub-Saharan Africa this year mostly focuses on those with lower base salaries. Roughly 70% of this year’s sample respondents were those at delivering and managing competency levels, with delivering level professionals accounting for 53% of the sample.
Salaries, bonuses and benefits
The average salary for procurement and supply roles in Sub-Saharan Africa this year is $40,746 and the average reported salary increase is 14% – higher than the global average (8.0%).
A lower proportion of people in this region (49%) reported having a salary increase in the last 12 months.
Professionals at a leader competency level within Sub-Saharan Africa with MCIPS earn on average 5.5% more than those without it.
The proportion of respondents eligible for bonuses in this region has fallen from 48% in 2023 to 45% this year. Our survey shows eligibility for bonuses generally increases with the seniority of an individual’s job role. For comparison, 55% of those with job roles at a leading competency level report being entitled to a bonus in the past year, vs 42% of people with roles at a delivering competency level.
73% of employers in the region say bonuses are awarded based on whole company targets; 43% by personal targets; and 31% by team targets. Employees in the region, however, would rather their bonus was awarded based on personal targets (60%) than overall company targets (59%).
The top three benefits offered by employers in Sub-Saharan Africa are private medical insurance (51%), life assurance/death in service (37%), and provision of a work mobile phone (34%).
Skills
While soft skills are still valued in Sub-Saharan Africa, technical skills are perceived to be of greater importance. Procurement and supply professionals in the region say the top five skills are supplier relationship management (51%), negotiation (50%), contract management (45%), sourcing (34%), and communication (31%). Perception of the importance of soft skills varies by job level, with those at influencing and leading competency levels rating them differently to those at managing or delivering competency levels. For example, supplier relationship management is ranked as less important for those at influencing level (41%) and leading level (49%) than those at managing level (57%) and delivering level (54%). Sourcing, while a top five skill for those at delivering level (43%) and managing level (43%), does not appear in the top five for those at leading or influencing level. Overall, procurement and supply professionals should maintain a balance of soft skills and technical skills and be proficient in both.
Communication is the most in-demand skill for employers in this region (44%).
Job moves
More people in this region (52%) are expecting to move to a new employer in the next six to 12 months than elsewhere in the world. However, this is down on last year (61%).
The top factors driving people to consider a new job are career progression (88%) and desire to work at an organisation where procurement is highly valued (85%).
Of those not looking to move roles, 21% say their reason for staying where they are is because they enjoy their current role.
Employees in the region said their main reason for remaining in their current position is that more training and development is needed before they can progress to a new role (40%).