At the turn of the century, there was speculation about whether Africa was possibly "the continent of the future" with optimistic speculations that the 21st century would belong to Africa . Other dominant forecasts about Africa 's future have either been about how bad things could get, or how lucrative a market it might be. About a decade into the new century, there are both signs of progress as well as a host critical challenges facing the continent. Foresight's Special Issue on the theme "Is Africa the land of the future?" reflects critically and proactively on the continent's future prospects, leveraging the tools of futures study. It aims to serve as a catalyst for a necessary process of broader reflection, deeper dialogue and insight, and informed action about Africa and the future.