Researchers push for youths’ empowerment to unlock Africa’s growth

Researchers from various countries in Africa have said the youths have the potential to unlock the growth of the continent, calling for their full empowerment.

They include a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Babatunde Ojebuyi; a Kenya-based Programme Officer for Research and Policy at the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), Joel Otieno and another researcher, Ridwan Kolawole, among others.

They made the declaration while addressing participants at the youth aspirations and resilience workshop, organised by PASGR, in collaboration with the MasterCard Foundation, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Otieno, emphasised the potential of young people to drive Africa’s growth saying: “We are based in Nairobi, Kenya. What is important to us is the centrality of youths. Young people have the potential to unlock Africa’s growth.

“What’s important for us now is the centrality of young people in the development of West Africa. This research in understanding has been the largest in population. We understand that young people have the potential to unlock African growth and development. So, this research is in understanding the perspective of realising young peoples’ potential and empowering them to achieve their potential.

Ojebuyi, who also served as the project principal investigator in Nigeria, discussed the research project’s outcomes, highlighting the significant barriers faced by Nigerian youths due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity.