Recently, I was a speaker at the PMI African conference. During our panel session, I was asked, ‘What does the term ‘YOUTHQUAKE’ mean to you and do you think this resonates with the youth in Africa?’
The first thing that came to my mind was an earthquake, something about to erupt. And I thought deep, and for me, youthquake means disruptive change. So it is a change that’s happening and about to happen.
More than 60% of the African population are youth. So their lifestyle and everything about them is different, their approach to life- it’s a fast generation.
Youth is dynamic; the things that interest them, the way they consume content, etc. And this is not unique to a particular continent. It cuts across every continent because of the internet and technology.
What is Africa doing about this change? Is the government doing anything about this change? What are the private sectors doing about this change that is upon us?
Any African country, business, or anyone interested in Africa who does not see the change and is currently doing nothing regarding this cultural shift will be doing themselves a disservice.
How can we collectively harness the youth’s potential for Africa’s economic development?
We are doing an incredible job at Entrepreneurs.ng through different programs built around informing, educating, inspiring and nurturing aspiring entrepreneurs.
But it starts with leadership.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP is important for the future of Africa. Without youth leadership, there will never be the next leaders in line, and there will be no one to pass on the torch to.
The foundation is faulty.
Everything should be built into the system from kindergarten curriculum to secondary school and tertiary level. That way, it is rooted in them.
Teaching the principles of delayed gratification at every stage of life is crucial. Research has shown that people who can exercise delayed gratification tend to make better decisions and are more successful later in life.
As I said, it all boils down to us leading by example. Not just speaking but walking the talk.
Ask yourself this question: What am I doing to ensure that Africa’s future will truly belong to the youth?
We can do a lot to shape the youth and create opportunities for them. We are doing our bit at Entrepreneurs.ng, and you can partner with us to develop programs that train, mentor and nurture future entrepreneurs. You will see our video content on our channel.
