Akinwumi Adesina Calls for Investment in Africa's Youth

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, former president of the African Development Bank Group, delivered a keynote address titled “Africa Next: Building the Demographics Asset Class” at The Seyi Tinubu Colloquium, themed “Shaping the Future.” He called on African leaders to invest in education, healthcare, technology, and skills development to transform the continent's youth population into an economic engine. Adesina noted that by 2050, one in every four people globally will be African, emphasizing that population size alone does not guarantee prosperity without investments in human capabilities.

He described the concept of a “demographics asset class,” where a population becomes an economic asset through knowledge, skills, health, and opportunities. Adesina warned against Africa's dependence on foreign AI technologies, urging local innovators to create solutions tailored to the continent's needs.

He identified systemic barriers such as poor-quality education and inadequate access to finance as factors contributing to youth unemployment.