Procurement and supply professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa earn more with MCIPS, which is sought-after by employers.
Key findings
- The average salary for a procurement and supply professional in Sub-Saharan Africa is $39,723.
- 69% of employers would prefer to recruit a candidate who either has MCIPS or is studying towards it.
- 51% of respondents expect to move to a new employer in the next 12 months.
- 87% say career progression opportunities are the most important factor when considering a new job.
- 91% of respondents believe that procurement and supply can enable positive social change.
Salaries
The average salary for a procurement and supply professional in Sub-Saharan Africa is $39,723, slightly down from $40,764 in 2024. Stagnating salaries are likely to reflect the broader economic picture in the region, with issues including inflation and conflict acting as hindrances to growth. The World Bank estimates that economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa last year was a modest 3.2%.[1]
Less than half of respondents (49%) report having had a salary increase in the last 12 months – the lowest percentage of all regions other than MENA. For those who did get a raise, the average salary increase is 13.6% – higher than any other region.
MCIPS has a very positive impact on salaries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Those with the designation earn $49,425 on average, up from $47,657 last year – a marked contrast to the overall trend for falling salaries. In contrast, non-MCIPS earn $29,682 on average, significantly down from $36,095 in 2024. Respondents with MCIPS are more likely to have received a salary increase than those without.
Over two-thirds of employers (69%) in Sub-Saharan Africa would prefer to recruit a candidate who either has MCIPS or is studying towards it. This is the highest percentage of any region globally.
Bonuses
Respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa are less likely to be entitled to a bonus than their peers in any other region other than Australasia. Less than half (46%) report being eligible for a bonus – similar to 2024 (45%).
The gender gap on bonuses is small, with 46% of men being entitled to a bonus, and 45% of women. Significantly more respondents in the private sector are entitled to a bonus (58%) compared with the public sector (37%) and charity sector (26%).
The average bonus as a percentage of salary is 15.1%, up from 11.8% in 2024.
Benefits
The top three benefits received by supply and procurement professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa are private medical insurance (50%), life assurance/death-in-service benefits (31%) and above-statutory pension contributions (25%). Yet respondents desire more support with their personal growth, with the benefit they would most like to receive being support for study/career development (cited by 48%). Furthermore, 39% would like their employer to cover their professional body membership fee.
Career mobility
Over half (51%) of respondents expect to move to a new employer in the next 12 months – down on 2024 (52%) and 2023 (61%).
Career progression opportunities are the most important factor when considering a new job, cited by 87%. Salary follows closely behind (84%), followed by employers that are well known for their ethical practices (82%).
Respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa are most likely to stay with their current employer because they need additional training and development to step up to a new role (50%) and a lack of opportunity (36%).
Over half (53%) of respondents in Sub-Saharan Africa report that their work-life balance has improved over the past 12 months.
Talent shortage
Talent shortages are an issue in Sub-Saharan Africa, although they are less pronounced here than in other regions surveyed. Just over two in five (43%) of employers have struggled to find the right talent in the past 12 months, up from 39% in 2024.
Budget restraints and candidate salary expectations (both 58%) are cited as the biggest challenges – a divergence from other regions where skills and lack of candidate availability tend to be the biggest issues. Finding candidates who are an organisational fit has significantly increased as a problem – up to 50% from 28% in 2024.
Skills
Half of respondents (50%) in Sub-Saharan Africa believe supplier relationship management skills are the most important skills for procurement and supply professionals to possess. These skills can help to improve service delivery, reduce costs, mitigate risks and boost supply chain efficiency. They are seen as particularly vital by those at the Leading and Delivering levels. For more on how the different levels are defined, see About the research.
For Sub-Saharan employers, negotiation skills top the list of key skills required by procurement and supply professionals (cited by 52%). Communication skills (47%) and supplier relationship management skills (39%) are also important to them.
Respondents believe integrity and trust (72%), collaboration skills (47%) and commitment and work ethic (42%) will be the most important skills and characteristics for procurement and supply leaders over the next 10 years.
Perceptions of procurement
Procurement is highly valued in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over four-fifths (81%) of respondents say that procurement is very much valued within their organisation. Meanwhile, 83% agree that the perception of procurement has improved over the last 12 months and 82% say that procurement and supply is involved from the start of a project.
More than nine out of 10 respondents (94%) believe that procurement and supply chain qualifications will become more valued over the next 10 years.
Procurement and supply is overwhelmingly seen as a force for social good in Sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, 91% of respondents believe that procurement and supply can enable positive social change, with 63% saying it offers a career path for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
[1] Global Economic Prospects: Sub-Saharan Africa, World Bank, January 2025