Akin Akinbisola is an entrepreneur, thought leader, youth development advocate. He is the founder of Youth Employ & Development Initiative, a purpose-driven organisation committed to equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, opportunities, and resources required to build sustainable livelihoods and become future-ready leaders. He holds an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University and has developed a multidisciplinary career spanning entrepreneurship, branding and communications, real estate, agriculture, leadership development, and youth empowerment. He is the Founder of Ace & Gold Limited, a branding, communications, and advertising company providing strategic and innovative solutions to businesses and institutions. Akinbisola who is a strategic member of respected networks including the Young Entrepreneurs of Nigeria, Network of Social Entrepreneurs, and The Adekunle Child Foundation (TACF) speaks in his interview about his work driving social impact.

What first inspired your passion for youth development, and was there a defining moment that made you realise this was the work you wanted to dedicate your life to?

My passion for youth development comes from a conviction that has continued to shape my work: young people are not lacking in potential. What is often missing are the opportunities, structures, and support systems that enable them to turn that potential into meaningful outcomes. Over time, I became increasingly concerned about the gap between what young people are capable of achieving and the opportunities available to them. I realised that conversations about empowerment, while important, were not enough. Young people needed practical opportunities to develop skills, explore entrepreneurship, access networks, and build sustainable livelihoods.

That conviction led to the establishment of Youth Employ & Development Initiative in 2016. I would not necessarily point to one defining moment. Rather, it has been a journey of growing awareness, learning, and responsibility. Every young person we have encountered, every challenge we have tried to address, and every opportunity we have helped create has reinforced my commitment. I have come to see youth development as more than a programme or professional responsibility. It is a lifelong commitment to building systems that enable people to become productive, independent, and capable of contributing meaningfully to society.

Beyond the programmes and partnerships, what problem are you ultimately trying to solve through the Youth Employ & Development Initiative (YEDI)?

Youth Employ exists to address the gap between young people’s potential and their ability to translate that potential into productive and sustainable livelihoods. We are concerned about a reality where many young people have ambitions, ideas, and talents but struggle to access the skills, opportunities, and resources required to make progress. Our work goes beyond helping young people find jobs. We want to prepare them to create value, build enterprises, become effective leaders, and participate meaningfully in the economy.

Over the years, you’ve worked with governments, development partners, universities, and the private sector. What have these experiences taught you about what young people in Africa truly need to succeed?

One of the most important lessons I have learnt is that young people do not need to be treated merely as beneficiaries. They need to be recognised as active participants in designing and driving solutions. Working with different stakeholders has also reinforced the importance of connecting opportunities to actual needs. A training programme, for instance, is valuable, but its impact becomes more meaningful when participants can apply what they have learnt, access relevant networks, connect with employers, secure financing, or build sustainable enterprises.

Young people need more than access to training. They need pathways that connect learning to opportunity. They also need mentors, supportive institutions, technology, finance, and environments where they can experiment, learn, and grow.

Another important lesson is that no single organisation can solve the challenges facing young people. Governments, educational institutions, development partners, businesses, and youth led organisations all have different capabilities. The real opportunity lies in bringing these capabilities together to create solutions that are practical, accessible, and sustainable. We must move beyond asking how many young people we have reached and begin asking what has changed in their lives because we reached them.

Many people describe Africa’s youth population as its greatest asset. From your experience, what do you think is preventing many young people from reaching their full potential?

Africa’s youthful population presents enormous possibilities, but population alone does not automatically translate into economic or social progress. One major challenge is the disconnect between education and the realities of the labour market. Many young people leave educational institutions without sufficient practical experience, relevant skills, or access to opportunities that can help them transition into productive work. There are also structural barriers, including limited access to finance, professional networks, mentorship, infrastructure, and business support.

For an aspiring entrepreneur, the challenge may not be the absence of ideas but the difficulty of moving from an idea to a viable business. For a graduate, it may be the difficulty of securing that first meaningful work experience. For another young person, it may be the absence of an environment where their talents can flourish.

We must also recognise that young people are not a homogeneous group. The challenges facing a young person in a rural community may differ significantly from those facing someone in an urban centre. This means our interventions must be responsive to different realities rather than relying on a one size fits all approach.

Youth Employ’s work spans employability, entrepreneurship, digital innovation, and leadership. Why do you believe these areas are so critical for preparing young Africans for the future of work?

I believe these areas are interconnected, and young people need a combination of them to navigate an increasingly complex world. Employability equips young people with the competencies, practical skills, and professional attitudes required to participate effectively in the workforce.

Entrepreneurship enables them to identify problems, develop solutions, create value, and build businesses. In a continent facing significant employment challenges, we cannot focus exclusively on preparing young people to seek jobs. We must also prepare them to create opportunities for themselves and others. Digital innovation is equally important because technology is transforming how businesses operate, how people work, and how solutions are developed. Young people need the capacity to understand and apply technology in ways that improve productivity and solve real problems.

Leadership brings these capabilities together. Skills and knowledge are important, but young people must also be able to make decisions, work with others, take responsibility, and influence positive change.

Throughout your journey, you’ve built organisations, businesses, and communities. What has been your biggest lesson about leadership, especially when leading teams and creating lasting impact?

One of my biggest lessons is that leadership is not about becoming the person who does everything. It is about building people, systems, and structures that can function beyond your individual capacity. In the early stages of building an organisation, it is tempting to believe that personal effort alone can sustain growth. However, as the organisation expands, you begin to understand the importance of delegation, accountability, documentation, and building a team that understands the mission.

I have also learnt that vision without execution remains an idea. A leader must be able to translate a compelling vision into clear priorities, practical plans, measurable outcomes, and consistent action.

Another important lesson is that people need more than instructions. They need clarity, trust, opportunities to grow, and an understanding of how their contributions connect to the larger mission. Leadership also requires humility. You must be willing to learn, listen to people who think differently from you, acknowledge when something is not working, and make the necessary adjustments. For me, lasting impact is not simply about what an organisation achieves while its founder is actively involved. It is about whether the organisation has developed the people, culture, and systems required to continue creating value over time.

If you had the opportunity to redesign Nigeria’s approach to youth development, what are three things you would change immediately?

There are three areas I would prioritise. First, I would strengthen the connection between education, skills, and economic opportunities. We need an approach that places greater emphasis on practical competencies, digital skills, entrepreneurship, problem solving, and work experience. Young people should have clearer pathways from education and training into employment, enterprise, and other productive opportunities. Education must do more than prepare people to pass examinations. It should also prepare them to solve problems and participate meaningfully in the economy.

Second, I would make youth development more coordinated, evidence driven, and outcome focused. Nigeria has many institutions and organisations working on youth development, but there is significant opportunity to improve coordination among government agencies, educational institutions, businesses, development partners, and youth led organisations. We should also move beyond measuring success primarily by the number of people who attend programmes. We need to pay greater attention to outcomes such as employment, business survival, income generation, skills application, and long-term progression.

Third, I would expand young people’s access to capital, markets, and decision-making opportunities. Entrepreneurship support should go beyond training and business plan competitions. Young people need access to appropriate financing, mentorship, infrastructure, markets, and networks. They should also have meaningful opportunities to participate in the design and implementation of policies and programmes that affect their lives. My broader view is that youth development must move from fragmented interventions towards a coordinated system that connects young people to real opportunities.

You wear many hats, social entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, business leader, and mentor. How do you stay focused on your mission while balancing these different responsibilities?

I have come to understand that being involved in different ventures does not necessarily mean pursuing unrelated ambitions. For me, the important thing is ensuring that each responsibility has a clear purpose and remains aligned with my broader vision.

My work in youth development, entrepreneurship, business, and mentorship allows me to engage with different dimensions of the same question: how do we create value, build sustainable institutions, and expand opportunities for people?

However, alignment alone is not enough. It is also important to establish priorities, build effective teams, delegate responsibilities, and develop systems that reduce unnecessary dependence on individual effort. I am learning to distinguish between activities that require my direct involvement and those that can be handled by capable people within the team. I also believe that focus requires discipline. Not every opportunity deserves attention simply because it is available. Sometimes, the ability to say no is just as important as the ability to recognise an opportunity.

What is your vision for YEDI over the next five to ten years, and what kind of legacy do you hope the organisation will leave across Africa?

My vision is for Youth Employ to grow into a leading youth development institution with the capacity to influence how young people across Africa access skills, opportunities, and pathways to economic participation. Over the next five to ten years, I want to see us deepen our impact in Nigeria while building the partnerships, institutional capacity, and delivery models required to extend our work across other African countries.

I envision a stronger organisation with sustainable funding, effective operational systems, a highly capable team, and programmes that respond to the changing realities of young people. I also want us to strengthen our work at the intersection of youth development, technology, entrepreneurship, and the future of work. Beyond organisational growth, I believe the most important measure of success will be the lives changed and the opportunities created. I would also like to see our work contribute to the wider conversation on youth development and how institutions can help young people build productive futures.

What is your message to the young African reading this interview?

I would want every young African to understand that their future should not be defined solely by the limitations of their present circumstances. Your background may influence your starting point, but it does not have to determine the full extent of what you can become. Take responsibility for your growth. Develop relevant skills. Build relationships with people who challenge and strengthen you. Remain curious, be willing to learn, and do not be afraid to start small.

But beyond personal success, remember that your growth should also create value for others. We need young Africans who are not only asking what opportunities the world can provide for them, but are also asking what problems they can solve, what value they can create, and what kind of future they can help build.

Do not wait until you have everything figured out before you begin. Start with what you have, learn from the process, and remain committed to becoming better. And always remember that your contribution does not have to begin on a grand scale to make a meaningful difference. You are not simply preparing to inherit the future. You have the responsibility and the opportunity to help design it.