Experts call for new strategies to address youth unemployment

Youth unemployment in Africa has reached a critical tipping point, with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimating that 27 per cent of young people across the continent are currently unemployed.

‎Even more alarming, over 70 million youth are neither employed nor enrolled in any educational or training institutions, numbers that might be signalling a deepening social and economic emergency.

Yet, Africa’s youth population continues to grow and is expected to double by 2050.

While this demographic shift is often described as an opportunity for accelerated development, the lack of access to jobs and relevant skills training is putting pressure on governments, educational institutions, and the private sector.

The ILO Regional Director for Africa, Fanfan Rwanyindo called for urgent and coordinated efforts to create jobs, address structural barriers to employment and strengthen social cohesion.

‎“This is not just a labour market challenge. It is a threat to economic growth and the promise of an entire generation. The time to act is now,” she said.

‎‎Rwanyindo was speaking during the Africa Employers Summit's 40 years anniversary conference in Nairobi, which brought together business leaders, policymakers, employer organisations, and international partners under the theme "Empowering Business to Advance Social Justice."

‎‎During the conference, it was noted that many unemployed youth are concentrated in urban areas, where the gap between education outcomes and labour market demands is rapidly widening.

‎‎Business leaders emphasised the need for enterprise-led solutions in tackling unemployment in the region.

‎“This summit is about unlocking the power of African enterprise to generate decent work, especially for our youth,” said Federation of Kenya Employers national president Gilda Odera.

‎‎ Key strategies identified included leveraging technological innovation, boosting regional trade, and harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to open new pathways for employment and entrepreneurship.

‎‎Deputy President Kithure Kindiki called for a new era of collaboration between governments, employers, and workers.

‎‎Prof Kindiki described the Kenyan government as both a major employer and an enabler of economic opportunity, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to dignified work, social protection, and inclusive growth policies.

‎‎"Youth unemployment is not a challenge for tomorrow, it is an emergency demanding action today," he said.

‎‎The DP further noted that without immediate, large-scale interventions, the continent risks squandering its greatest asset who are the youth.

‎"With unified leadership, bold investment, and a commitment to shared prosperity, Africa has the potential to not only overcome this crisis,but to emerge stronger, more resilient, and more just than ever before," he said.

‎ The National Industrial Training Authority (NiTa) has however, said that youths need more practical skills training for them to be better fit for employment.

‎NiTa Chairman Aden Noor, said they have ramped up efforts to equip Kenyan youth with market-ready skills, training over 150,000 individuals annually across the country.

‎“We skill, reskill, and upskill youth across the country,” said Noor.

“Unlike traditional university pathways, 90 per cent of our trainees secure employment, both locally and internationally, after completing our programs," he added.