Adesina Calls for Youth Investment at Lagos Colloquium

Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, the former President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), called on African governments to invest in youth during his keynote address at the inaugural Seyi Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos. The event was themed “Africa Next: Building the Demographic Asset Class.” Adesina argued that Africa's growing youth population could significantly drive economic growth if adequately equipped with education, healthcare, skills development, technology, and access to finance.

He emphasized that education is critical infrastructure and should be prioritized alongside physical infrastructure investments. Adesina also encouraged African youths to embrace artificial intelligence and digital technology to create solutions tailored to the continent's needs.

He highlighted Nigeria's youth-focused initiatives, such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the i-DICE programme, which supports digital and creative enterprises. He warned that unemployment often reflects systemic failures rather than a lack of potential among young people and stressed the need for deliberate investment in their capabilities.