What this life looks like
You solve complex business problems for a living. Management Consultants are called in by organisations — companies, governments, hospitals, or NGOs — when they face difficult strategic, operational, or financial challenges they need expert outside help to solve. It is one of the most intellectually demanding and well-compensated careers in business, and top consulting firms are actively recruiting African talent.
What she actually does
You receive a brief from a client, assemble a team, gather data through interviews and analysis, identify root causes and solutions, build detailed presentations and recommendations, and work with the client to implement changes. Projects might last weeks or months, and you often work across multiple industries — banking one month, healthcare the next.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Global Firms (Africa offices) | McKinsey Johannesburg/Lagos/Nairobi, BCG Africa, Bain Africa, Accenture Africa |
| Big 4 Consulting | Deloitte Africa, PwC Advisory Africa, KPMG Consulting Africa, Ernst & Young Africa |
| Development Consulting | Nathan Associates, Palladium, DAI, Adam Smith International — development sector consulting |
| Boutique African Firms | Dalberg Africa, Intellecap, Analysys Mason Africa, Genesis Analytics |
Why it matters in Africa
Every major consulting firm — McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC — has growing African offices and is hiring local consultants. African governments, development banks, and multinationals all need strategic advisory services. Consultants who understand local context while applying global frameworks are invaluable.
Your pathway in
- Excel academically — top consulting firms recruit heavily from top universities
- Study Business, Economics, Engineering, Mathematics, or Law
- Develop strong analytical thinking, data interpretation, and Excel/PowerPoint skills
- Apply for internships at consulting firms in your second or third year of university
- Consider an MBA from a top school to access elite firm recruitment pipelines
Skills you will need
- Structured problem-solving
- Data analysis
- PowerPoint and Excel mastery
- Client communication
- Project management
- Team leadership
A woman in this field
Tara Fela-Durotoye
Nigeria
Tara is the founder of House of Tara International, Nigeria's first franchised beauty company, and a management consultant and business coach who has empowered thousands of African women entrepreneurs. She built House of Tara into a network of over 500 beauty studios across Africa. She was named one of the most influential women in Africa by Forbes and has consulted for governments and international organisations on women's economic empowerment.
Take your first step
- Practise case interview frameworks — search 'consulting case interview' on YouTube and try solving cases daily
- Read 'The McKinsey Way' by Ethan Rasiel to understand how top consultants think and work
- Build your Excel and PowerPoint skills using free tutorials on YouTube or LinkedIn Learning
- Research which consulting firms recruit from universities in your country and find their scholarship programmes