Every year on August 12, the world marks International Youth Day — a celebration of the energy, creativity, and aspirations of young people everywhere. For Africa, this day carries even deeper meaning.
With more than 60% of its population under 25, Africa is home to the largest youth demographic in the world. This “youth wave” is not a distant promise; it is here now, and how Africa invests in it will determine whether the future brings shared prosperity or missed opportunity.
Generation Z — those born roughly between the mid-1990’s and early 2010’s is unlike any that came before. They are the first generation to grow up fully immersed in digital technology. They navigate smartphones, social media, and online learning platforms with ease, giving them tools to connect, create, and compete on a global stage.
Yet they also face stark realities: slow job creation, widespread inequality, and economic systems that do not always make room for them.
The African Development Bank estimates that each year, 10 to 12 million young people enter the labour force, but only around 3 million formal jobs are created. This mismatch between supply and demand is more than a statistic, it is a defining challenge for the continent.
If left unaddressed, it risks fuelling disillusionment and instability. If tackled head-on, it could unlock one of the largest economic growth opportunities in modern history.
Already, Gen Z is showing signs of self-determination. Across the continent, they are developing fintech innovations in Nigeria, launching ethical fashion brands in Kenya, and driving agritech solutions in Ghana.
For many, social media is not just a place for entertainment, it’s a storefront, a marketing tool, and a platform for building networks. The rise of “side-hustle” culture reflects both necessity and ingenuity.
But talent alone cannot transform economies. For Africa to fully harness its demographic advantage, three areas demand urgent attention.
1. Equip youth with market-ready skills
While more Africans are graduating from school than in previous decades, education often fails to match the needs of modern industries. Technical training, problem-solving, and digital fluency are essential but remain unevenly accessible.
Governments and the private sector must work together to integrate coding, design thinking, and entrepreneurship into national education systems.
The few coding academies and innovation hubs across the continent are promising starts, but they need to expand far beyond urban centres.
2. Unlock access to capital
For many young entrepreneurs, traditional banking requirements like collateral, credit history, and formal guarantees are insurmountable barriers. Alternative financing models, such as mobile microloans, youth-targeted venture capital, and crowdfunding platforms, can bridge this gap.
The fintech revolution has shown that inclusion is possible; however the next step is directing financial innovation toward ventures that generate sustainable jobs.
3. Build supportive ecosystems
Encouraging entrepreneurship means little without reliable infrastructure and enabling policy environments. Frequent electricity cuts, high internet costs, and lengthy business registration processes stall progress. Governments must view young people as active partners in economic decision-making.
This could mean youth representation in policy forums, procurement policies that prioritise youth-led businesses, and targeted investments in sectors where Africa can be globally competitive.
International Youth Day offers a symbolic moment to amplify these priorities. Around the world, the message is consistent: when young people have opportunities, societies benefit.
In Africa, however, this is not just about opportunity; it is about survival in an increasingly competitive global economy. Opportunity without action leads to wasted potential, while action without opportunity breeds frustration.
Some critics note that “youth empowerment” is not new and has often fallen short. What makes today different is the global, interconnected reality in which Gen Z operates.
They can learn a new skill on YouTube, sell products internationally from their living room, or collaborate with partners across continents via a video call. If African economies align policy and investment with this reality, growth will follow.
If not, the continent risks losing its talent in less visible ways, not just through physical migration, but through a “digital brain drain”, where skilled youth work remotely for foreign employers, contributing little to local economies particularly in terms of remittances.
International Youth Day should therefore serve as more than a celebration. It should be a rallying point for governments to reform, for businesses to open their doors, and for communities to trust youth with leadership today, not someday in the future.
In 2025, African youth are not only asking for the right to learn, they are asking for the right to earn, innovate, and shape their societies. This is not charity - it is smart economics.
The next phase of Africa’s development will be written by Gen Z, whether policymakers prepare for it or not. The choice is clear: invest now and reap the benefits of a dynamic, resilient economy, or squander this generational advantage and face the cost of lost potential.
History shows that when young people are given the tools, trust, and opportunity to lead, they can reshape nations. On this International Youth Day, the pressing question is whether Africa and the world will give them that chance.
The author, Shuaib Mahomed, is a South African Economist whose research interests focuses on financial markets spillovers, volatility and geopolitical risk.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, viewpoints and editorial policies of TRT Afrika.
