Abstract

Abstract Higher education curricula in Africa face twin imperatives: equipping graduates with employable skills in rapidly changing labour markets, and embedding sustainability so development aligns with environmental and social objectives. This paper examines curriculum innovation strategies that foreground employability and sustainability across African contexts (excluding Nigeria), using case examples from Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Ghana, and Ethiopia. Adopting a qualitative, interdisciplinary approach (document analysis, policy review, and simulated expert commentary), the article synthesizes education policy, employer expectations, and sustainable development frameworks (SDG 4 and SDG 8). We identify five recurring themes: mismatch between graduate skills and labour market needs; curricular rigidity and slow reform cycles; the potential of competency- and project-based learning; the role of industry–academy partnerships and micro-credentials; and the centrality of institutional governance and financing for scaling innovations. Drawing on human capital theory and the capability approach, we argue for a plural curriculum architecture combining foundational literacies (digital, green, entrepreneurial), work-integrated learning, and sustainability literacies. We recommend pragmatic policy levers: national curriculum frameworks that set outcome standards, funding incentives for work-based learning, modular credentials, teacher professional development, and quality assurance aligned to employability and environmental impact. Finally, we highlight equity safeguards to ensure curricular modernization benefits marginalized groups. The paper offers a roadmap for African universities to produce graduates who are employable, resilient, and oriented to sustainable development.