What Are the Best-Paying MBA Specializations in West Africa?

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The master of business administration (MBA) is still an incredibly popular option for pursuing a postgraduate degree for business graduates and tenured professionals. It is because an MBA degree offers a wide range of professional advantages and roles related to administration.

MBA courses offer various specializations, and it cannot be evident to choose among them. MBA degree specialization will determine what to study and significantly impact one’s ambitions and future career. So, it is essential to consider what you want to achieve before choosing a preferred MBA specialization.

Listed below are the best-paying MBA specializations that have enormous scope in West Africa in 2020.

Best-Paying MBA Specializations in West Africa to Be Considered in 2020

The MBA program becomes obligatory for top-level management and executives to hold. This degree provides several advantages for working professionals who hold a UG degree. It can uplift career and professional objectives amidst changing trends and challenging environments. The accumulated skill set empowers one to lead a team, division, or the entire organization fearlessly in the right way.

So, whether to expand business knowledge or use it as a step in one’s career path, the MBA program proves advantageous. The reasons for choosing each of the top MBA degree specializations are explained below.

1. MBA in Human Resource Management

MBA in human resource (HR) management specialization enables students to get thoroughly inculcated with the managing principles of human resources. The right workforce is responsible for the critical functioning of any organization as the HR Management department handles sourcing and managing them. They are the crucial link between the top management and the employees.

This MBA specialization helps students land jobs in the HR department of an organization. These are some of the job positions available for qualified professionals:

• HR Generalist
• Technical Recruiter
• Employee Relations Manager
• Compensation Manager
• Staffing Director
• Director of HR Training & Development

The median salary for HR managers is approximately 5,670,787 CFA franc per annum. For compensation managers, it can be up to 611,000 CFA franc monthly, and it also significantly opens doors to increased salary, improved job satisfaction, and excellent job stability. Plus, they can change the lives of individuals who are searching for a job.

2. MBA in Finance

Money is the lifeblood of every organization to execute its operations. Cost is involved in every activity and time spent in running the organization. Thus, handling money matters is imperative. It includes study in economics, statistics, finance, strategy, leadership, and marketing aspects. Expertise in these areas lets students work in several positions in the financial segment.

Accounts and finance are traditional choices, but this area will continuously thrive despite the variations in technology and personnel. There are several specializations to select from, like accountancy, global, or managerial economics. Each has its merits and the most repaying jobs. Financial knowledge and the right skill set can land career opportunities in corporate finance or investment banking. Some of the influential positions are:

• Chief Financial Officer
• Corporate Controller
• Financial Analyst
• Finance Officers and Treasurer
• Insurance and Risk Manager
• Finance Consultant
• Investment Banking Associate
• Cash Manager
• Investing Sales Trader and Associate

Finance is also a high-paying MBA specialization making 12,298,094 CFA francs per year, according to SalaryExplorer.

3.  MBA in Marketing

Marketing is allied with almost every product or service in the industry. The chief objective of any business is to reach out to its facilities to the right target audience in a market. For this, marketing know-how is vital. This professional marketing degree incorporates marketing tactics like relationship-building skills, sales promotions, consumer and market trends, market strategies, and public relations.

Like finance, marketing is also a universal choice of MBA specialization. It is a creative opportunity to influence marketing on any business’s success. It is not only about promoting sales but also about creating a brand image and customer experiences. It helps to understand the product or service and use data analytics to propose forecasts and track market trends.

The career opportunities after pursuing an MBA in marketing are enormous. The graduates are in demand for the following job positions:

• Marketing Manager
• Market Research Analyst
• Digital Marketing Manager
• Sales Manager
• Corporate Sales
• Media Planner
• Brand manager
• Product Manager
• Asset Management

On average, MBA graduates focused on Marketing are said to earn 6,881,076 CFA franc annually, according to SalaryExplorer.

4.         MBA inProject Management

An MBA course in project management helps students learn the basics of critical project planning and structure a reliable project schedule. In addition to the plan, they are also made aware of execution, project launch, and handling multiple projects seamlessly. The business environment demands explicit planning and multi-tasking skills.

This MBA specialization helps graduates learn about the various processes involved while handling the project. The quality of the project and meeting the requirements and completion at the stipulated time frame are also essential. It is a valuable skill set for any business. Most of the job opportunities are in IT, construction, and consultation segments.

Some of the jobs available are:

• Project Manager
• Project Analyst
• Risk Manager
• Project Quality Manager
• Project Leader
• Engineer Director
• Team Leader

Project manager earns an average of 6,305,213 CFA franc, which can increase depending on the years of experience.

5.         MBA in strategic Management

This MBA program provides extensive and intense knowledge of this specialization in various business disciplines. The students learn for the executive level of work to strategize and measure the success rate. It helps them make management decisions and effectively implement and improve the overall performance of the organization.

Specializing in strategy is an in-demand MBA specialization. It is widely transferrable and applicable in almost all sectors. It provides a competitive benefit in the job market. The top jobs are:

• Strategy Consultant
• Chief Operating Officer
• Senior Marketing Manager
• Business Consultant
• Vice President of Strategy
• General Manager of Strategy
• Director of Business development
• Director of Operations

These C-level officials earn, on average, about 8,091,365 CFA franc annually. (Not including incentives) according to SalaryExplorer.

Part-Time and Online Ways for Pursuing MBA Specializations

Enrolling in an online or part-time MBA degree is very flexible and convenient for working professionals. It helps them advance in their careers while handling work and managing other responsibilities. With the current COVID-19 situation, online programs are considered the best option. These online MBA programs have structured classes, and live, and archived material to suit one’s needs. Thus, one can effortlessly adapt and learn despite hectic schedules. It is beneficial for working people who cannot spend time on full-time MBA courses.

Universities like Texila American University in Zambia offer part-time and online MBA courses for the convenience of working people to upgrade their educational qualifications. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university are eligible to take up this MBA course. Besides, there are plenty of MBA specializations, and it is mostly a two-year program.

Why the Online Master of Business Administration Program Is Good for Working People?

At one point in time, the managerial ladder demands an MBA degree. However, leaving a job and pursuing a degree wouldn’t be possible for many working people. In such a case, an online part-time MBA course would be the right choice. Moreover, it has the following benefits:

• A professional degree at your convenient time and own pace
• Enhanced and tested learning methodology
• Accessibility to live classes and personalized sessions
• Extended guidance from experienced faculty and specialists in that field
• Online exams and internationally accredited MBA degree
• Opportunity to network and interact with students and faculty globally

Career Benefits of Pursuing an MBA Specialization

If you aspire to take up executive leadership in a reputed organization, one of the above-said, in-demand MBA specializations is necessary. These specializations are gaining prominence in African countries as the business world emerges at a faster pace leaving enormous scope for MBA graduates.

According to emolument.com, the salary of MBA professionals is around 16,104,647 CFA francs. With the rapid industrialization development in the region, specialists’ demand is only said to increase in the coming years.

According to the African Development Bank Group report, growth in the West African region is projected at a healthy 3.6 percent in 2019 and 2020 owing to various joint venture projects.

And with the rise of the new single currency in the works, the region would see a significant boost in growth, leading to the development of new sectors, jobs, and opportunities for MBA graduates.

PwC predicts that by 2040, Africa will possess the most extensive labor force compared with India and China. So, the scope is getting broader, and it is the right time for taking up an MBA degree specialization.

An MBA program, combined with your brilliance, can result in fetching the highest-paying job comparatively. Each concentration has its benefit and salary package. So, it is best to choose one that sparks interest.