YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION FACTORY

Growth Without Jobs; Ticking Time Bombs Or Teeming Transformational Brains?

According to the World Bank, Youth account for 60% of all African unemployed. Almost 60% of Africa’s population in 2019 is under the age of 25, making Africa the world’s youngest continent.

The unemployment rate for that region is 6%, according to the AfDB with a world’s average of about 5%. But the problem is that in most African countries, youth unemployment “occurs at a rate more than twice that for adults”.

If the energies and ambitions of Africa’s youth continue to be wasted, they could become serious destabilizing forces, threatening not only just future progress, but rolling back the gains of recent years.

The innovation economy creates enabling and inclusive environment for Africa youths to have deep sense of belonging and be able to develop their full potentials through the innovation factories (MSMEs, venture labs, start-ups, incubators etc.) that are been facilitated and supported by Afrinnovation through the Afrinnovators Network in collaboration with partners and other innovation practitioners and organizations around the world.