In May 2025, Nigerian communications scholar and EdTech innovator Wakilat Kikelomo Zakariyau stood amongst over a thousand selected delegates from around the globe at the World Bank Group Youth Summit held in Washington, D.C. (hybrid). The summit, themed “New Horizons: Youth-Led Innovation for a Livable Planet,” spotlighted three key areas shaping the future of development: Digital Transformation & Data, Climate Action & Resilience, and Empowering Change through Creative Industries.
Representing Nigeria and the broader African continent, Zakariyau brought to the table her multi-dimensional work across education, technology, and mentorship. “The summit was more than an event,” she reflected. “It was a catalytic space where young leaders weren’t just invited to the table but empowered to reshape it.” From intensive plenary discussions to innovation labs and networking sessions, it was an affirming experience that echoed the grassroots frameworks she’s been building through CrestTech Hub, Scholars Lens, and the Smart Ladies Mentorship Network.
The opening remarks by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga underscored that youth must be at the forefront of reimagining the world. “Innovation,” he said, “isn’t just about creating something new it’s about looking around corners and finding better ways to scale what already works.” This resonated deeply with Zakariyau, whose work emphasizes replicable, community-driven solutions for digital inclusion and education access.
Keynote speaker Axel van Trotsenburg, Senior Managing Director at the World Bank Group, urged young people to hold onto their idealism, take bold risks, and believe in the “doability” of their ideas – no matter how unconventional. For Zakariyau, who has mentored and trained hundreds of young Africans through her platforms, this call was a powerful validation of youth-led change.
Among the summit’s most impactful sessions for her was the plenary on Digital Solutions for Development: Youth Innovating for Peace and Resilience, where speakers emphasized that data, AI, and scalable digital tools must be designed with and for underserved communities. Insights from WBG Digital Development Specialist Johan Bjurman Bergman, Development Gateway Director Beverly Hatcher-Mbu, and futurist Sinead Bovell, founder of WAYE, reinforced the importance of ethical data governance, AI literacy, and inclusive access to technology.
Zakariyau was particularly struck by Bovell’s emphasis on foresight as essential 21st-century skill. Bovell advocated for preparing youth not just to use technology, but to shape and question its future. She stressed the need for long-term thinking, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, and the ability to understand and critique emerging technologies – not just prompt them. Zakariyau reflected that this aligned with her EdTech mission at CrestTech Hub, where beyond skills training, the goal is to raise critical thinkers and digital citizens who can anticipate, innovate, and ethically lead.
Another session themed, From Awareness to Action: Empowering Young Voices & Partnerships in Development, highlighted the critical role of safe spaces, local leadership, and youth-led solutions in development efforts. Zakariyau noted how Robert Mearns of the WBG and Pauline Deneufbourg of the UNDP stressed that youth must not be treated as mere beneficiaries, but as co-creators of change. She reflected on how her own Scholars Lens initiative has championed this model – enabling young leaders to design and deliver localized programmes with measurable impact.
The conversation extended to the power of Creative Industries, where speakers like Maryam Bukar Hassan and Jacqueline Suowari shared how storytelling, visual arts, and fashion can reshape narratives, influence policy, and provide economic empowerment. Zakariyau, who integrates storytelling in her initiatives and mentorship programmes, emphasized that “storytelling gives people something to aspire for. It inspires, and helps them understand transformation in ways that are deeply human.”
More than anything, the summit reinforced her commitment to structured, visionary impact –work that is not always loud, but is consistent and transformational. “It affirmed that the real work is in the grassroots,” she said, “but when equipped with the right platforms, grassroots work can transcend globally.”
Zakariyau’s journey to the World Bank Group Youth Summit is a living proof that African youth – especially African women, are not waiting to be included. We are leading, innovating, and reimagining the continent’s future, one scalable idea at a time.
