There is a growing sense of restlessness among today’s African youth. Many are questioning the systems that surround them. They want more than just formal education or another training program that leads nowhere. You find it in the way they talk about soft skills, tech, crypto, side hustles, and remote jobs. They ask questions at conferences, on X, and even in WhatsApp groups. You hear questions like “what next after school?” “is this certificate enough?”, “what can I do to be successful”, and more. What the African youth seeks today is real empowerment. They want a new kind of education – one that is relevant, adaptable, and profitable – that is able to transform them into builders of the future. Africa is rising, but are the youths being equipped to rise with her? For the African youth to be truly empowered in this dynamic world, three pillars must be raised together for them to stand on – tech, trade, and tenacity.
In the past, certificates were the golden ticket. However, today, as the world advances, a hard truth emerges for young people: certificates don’t build futures; skills do. As the world changes, Africa must ensure it is at the forefront of this change. One of the ways is by raising a new generation of youths equipped with the trifecta of Tech, Trade, and Tenacity.
The future is digital, and there is no going back. Technology, as we may have often heard, is no longer a luxury but a necessity. It has become the language of progress in today’s economy. If we must go back to the basics, technology simply means knowing how to use digital tools to get work done faster, better, and cheaper. Digital or tech empowerment means learning how to create with technology, not just to consume it. The future of work is now digital, whether in fashion, catering/confectionery, plumbing, product design, or woodwork, among others. A barber should learn how to use Instagram to show off new styles or haircuts. A fashion designer can design outfits using digital tools, and take online orders from any part of the world. Tech is no longer a field reserved for only the computer scientists. If Africa must lead the march, then its youth must be equipped with the right digital tools and skill set for effective delivery. African youths must learn tech, transformative trade, and the tenacity to scale through. A farmer can monitor crops with agri-tech tools. A teacher can now host virtual classes via Zoom without technical hiccups. Learning tech is beyond writing codes. It involves using tech tools to solve African and global problems, create systems, and reach global markets. Tech without purpose is noise. It must be tied to solving local and global problems.
Africa is a continent rich in resources and resourcefulness. What is the use of tech if it cannot drive trade and tangible impact in Africa? Taking us back to our roots, trade is simply buying and selling. However, today, it has gone beyond just buying and selling, to turning what you know or have into value that someone else is willing to exchange money for. Whether it is freelancing, selling handmade crafts, or teaching knowledge, so long as it communicates value to another person, in that skill lies power. Trade is how value moves, and every youth must learn to exchange value for reward. Trade skills are the lifeblood of a thriving economy. As such, African youths must be equipped with these trade skills to help sell an idea, a service, a product, a knowledge, or even themselves before investors. From ecommerce and retail to digital exports and information products, Africa’s trade potential is enormous. With this, an African youth can sell jewelries, bags, etc., from his small location in Kano state to Ghana. Our youths must learn to look inwards to find what value they have, then look into the world to identify problems there which their value can solve, build something unique around it to solve the problem, and offer it to the world boldly. Success in the digital age begins with problem-solving, and as the world advances, the African youth cannot afford to sleep back. It is, therefore, time to teach them problem-solving skills and techniques to use their trade to solve not just problems in their localities, but global problems. Our youth must understand profit and process, and work to become producers and providers, not just disgruntled job seekers.
Let’s be honest: even with tech and trade, it is not always going to be smooth. The African youth must also be shown that succeeding in trade is not always easy. They must be prepared for the ups and downs, and groomed to tenaciously face whatever comes.
Tenacity is that enabling tool that will help the African youth build the nations we’ve long dreamt of. It is the ability to keep learning, to keep pushing, to keep going, even when things are difficult. It is a critical piece that has often been ignored. Tenacity is what makes a small business scale, and turns learners to experts. The journey to global relevance is not for the faint-hearted – tenacity is what will hold the African youth’s heart together when rejection comes. It is tenacity that binds the tech skills a youth has acquired with their trade skills. Tenacity is showing up daily even when you’re tired or afraid. It is standing firm even when the results are not visible yet. It is pushing through pain because something within you refuses to throw in the towel. It is believing deeply that the seed being sown will sprout – even when the soil seems dry. It enables the youth to stand firm amidst every storm, and push through barriers to excellence. People may ignore them, systems may collapse, processes fail, and even families may mock them – but in all of that, what separates the average from the extraordinary is that the extraordinary chose to be tenacious. The African youth must become that extraordinary one. Every youth must be tenacious – tech changes, markets change, but resilience never goes out of style.
I implore Presidents of the Federations, policy makers, youth empowerment organizations, teachers, and trainers to invest more in equipping our youth with tech skills, trade skills, and tenacity for fulfillment of our possibilities. Africa’s transformation will not come through wishes or ineffective/dormant policies. Our transformation lies in equipping our youth with skills, intentionality, and every necessary support. If we truly want to empower the African youth, we must build systems that do not just train, but transform. Schools must move from theory to practice and equipping. We’ve dwelt so long in theories and they’ve brought us little to no progress. It’s time to think and do practical. We must teach our youth how to use tech tools, trade better with them, and produce outstanding results globally. Governments must not only make budgets, but build structures. Churches must move from merely preaching to preparing the youth. Thought leaders like myself must not just speak but spark change. Every individual and group who plays some role of influence in the youth must be sure to inspire them to innovate, create, and be persistent.
To the African youth, it is time to drop mediocrity, and put on grit. If Africa must be great again, you must give your all to it – learn to navigate tech, master trade, and hold tight to your tenacity. It is not enough to admire the Whites, and run over to their nations. You must begin to invest your time, knowledge, and resources to the transformation of our continent. Africa belongs to you and it is your responsibility to fight for her transformation with your skills, trade, and tenacity.
The empowered youth is not just one with a certificate, but the one with a working skill, a selling mindset, and a never-giving-up spirit. The future of Africa is tech-smart, trade-wise, and tenacious. I celebrate every African youth out there. Here’s to a powerful World Youth Skills Day ahead!
Ejinkeonye-Christian, a certified life coach, and business educator, is the CEO of Phebeon Consulting and Media Solutions Ltd, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria (+234(0)708-048-0510; [email protected]).
By Phebe Ejinkeonye-Christian
