NGYouthSDGs participates in the 2024 Youthconnekt Africa Summit

 

YouthConnekt Africa is a continental initiative driving Agenda 2063 by empowering African youth for socio-economic transformation. Adopted by 33 African countries, it fosters ecosystem-building, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration, making it a leading platform for youth-focused policy and business discussions. 

The 2024 YouthConnekt Africa Summit, hosted in Kigali,65 Rwanda, aligns with the AU Theme of the Year: Educate (and Skill) an African Fit for the 21st Century. With the theme Jobs for Youth Through Innovative Skilling, the summit focused on equipping youth with future-ready skills, addressing youth unemployment (20% across Africa), and scaling skilling efforts continent-wide. 

NGYouthSDGs CLiP project manager, Mrs Ruth Ogwuche, who was also joined by Mr Godwin Lasisi was selected as delegate making up the 22 youth representatives, representing Nigeria for the first time at the YouthConnekt Summit.

On the 8th of November 2024, the Youth Conference summit kicked off with the arrival of delegates.  On day two 9th November,  three plenary sessions themed Innovations in skilling and employability;  Catalyzing tech innovation in Africa; Youth Perspectives for inclusive agrifood systems in Africa took place.

These sessions emphasised how anyone, including young people, can create a positive impact by tackling local socio-economic challenges. The key lesson is that innovation goes beyond products or services; it’s about shifting mindsets and perspectives at every level, including grassroots communities. This requires context-specific approaches. There is  also a need to strengthen support systems for youth and innovation. This is because innovation hubs play a crucial role in nurturing talent and fostering support from grassroots levels. There is also a need for young, competent individuals to be involved in decision-making processes affecting them, ensuring solutions are relevant and sustainable. Again, skilling should start early, even before completing school, enabling young people to actively participate in the digital economy. This includes exposure to tech and hands-on experience with product development and market access.Equipping employees with digital skills ensures they are future-ready and can take on more dynamic roles.

 

Catalysing tech innovation in Africa; Youth Perspectives for inclusive agrifood systems in Africa: During the summit, agriculture was projected as  an opportunity for youth engagement and economic growth. Agriculture is recognized as a “low-hanging fruit” for achieving the African Union’s 2063 goals, especially in Nigeria with its rich arable lands. Making agribusiness appealing to youth is vital, using modern technology and advanced farming techniques to address food security and make agriculture a viable career option. It is also important to integrate agricultural education from elementary school levels to address knowledge gaps, helping students see the value of agriculture from a young age.

Empowering the Next Generation of Women Innovators: This session centred on offering a platform where young women innovators across the continent can showcase their work, connect with investors, and collaborate with other key stakeholders in the tech and startup ecosystems. The goal is to foster sustainable pathways for women-led innovations to thrive and contribute to Africa’s socio-economic development. The keynote speech at this session was given by  Hon. Nthati Moorosi, Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, Kingdom of Lesotho.

 A Youth Workforce for Social Impact; Thrive Together: Elevating youth health for brighter Africa: Key learnings from these sessions were that youth should pursue entrepreneurship, allowing them to create opportunities for others, thereby helping reduce unemployment. Also, volunteering offers skill-building opportunities; creating a structured database of such roles would help more young people engage and grow their experience. There is a need to engage retired professionals as mentors or advisors for youth who can provide valuable experience and support for young innovators. In government, young people with strong professional backgrounds should be considered for leadership roles, ensuring fresh perspectives in public policy. The critical importance of mental health in empowering African youth was pinpointed. Emphasis was laid on the need for robust strategies to address mental health challenges, which are often overlooked but essential for personal and professional growth. Discussions focused on creating supportive environments, increasing access to mental health resources, and integrating mental health awareness into broader youth development initiatives. The session underscored that a mentally healthy youth population is key to achieving Africa’s socio-economic transformation and securing a brighter future for the continent.

Innovative pitching session showcased by Hanga Hubs: Young people had the opportunity to present forward-thinking solutions addressing critical challenges in Africa. The session provided a platform to highlight innovative ideas. Hanga Hubs, known for fostering creativity and entrepreneurship, facilitated engaging discussions and constructive feedback, helping refine the  innovations presented for real-world impact. This experience emphasized the value of innovation in driving sustainable development and showcased the entrepreneurial spirit that is key to shaping Africa’s future.

Meet-up forum by delegates: At the end of the summit, all youth delegates from Nigeria had a forum discussion which involved reviewing the participation of the Nigerian delegation in the YCAS; deliberations towards the secretariat and delegation program,  deliberation on the  Youth Offer for Nigeria and curating shared experiences from Kigali.

 

As an organisation, we have recognised the need to equip young people with the skills necessary to access decent job opportunities. This is why in 2021 we embarked on a survey to understand the decentwork aspirations of young Nigerians.

This survey was able to gather the voices of 213,000 young people across Nigeria and the barriers they face to accessing decent jobs. The feedback from the survey positively influenced the formulation of the #Nigeria Youth Employment Action (NIYEAP). Visit decentwork.nigerianyouthsdgs.org for more information.

We extend our gratitude to UNDP Nigeria for the opportunity to learn, network, expand our impact and represent other leading Nigerian youth.