To overcome these obstacles and realize their potential, African youth need to be empowered and supported by various stakeholders, such as governments, civil society, private sector, and international community. They need to have access to quality education, decent work, health care, and justice. They need to have a voice and a say in the decisions that affect them and their communities. They need to have a sense of belonging and identity, as well as a respect for diversity and human rights. They need to have a vision and a hope for a better future.

Therefore, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African youth, as well as to address the challenges and barriers they face. It is also important to create and expand the spaces and opportunities for African youth to exercise their rights, express their views, and engage in social action. By doing so, we can unleash the power and potential of African youth for the development of the continent and the world.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are key to addressing youth unemployment and creating marketable opportunities for African youth.
Some of the advantages of entrepreneurship and innovation among African youth are:

A.) They can create innovative and compelling modern businesses that can solve local problems, meet customer needs, and generate income and profit.
B.) They can increase the capacity for these businesses to compete regionally and globally, by leveraging technology, networks, and partnerships.
C.) They can attract both domestic and foreign investment and diversify investor profile, by demonstrating their potential and impact.
D.) They can contribute significantly to job creation and economic growth, by employing themselves and others, creating value-added products and services, and paying taxes and fees.

There are many ways to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among African youth, such as:

1.) Integrating entrepreneurship and innovation into education: By teaching young people the skills, knowledge, and mindsets that enable them to identify problems, generate ideas, and implement solutions, education can foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among African youth. For example, the African Union2 has launched the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25), which aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation skills across the continent.

2.) Supporting business incubation centres: By providing young entrepreneurs with mentorship, training, networking, funding, and other resources, business incubation centres can help them develop and scale their ventures. For example, the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund3, launched by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and other partners, supports various initiatives that aim to create a dynamic ecosystem of actors and resources that incubate businesses, facilitate access to capital and business development services, and provide assistance in the form of mentorship and peer-to-peer support.

3.) Encouraging market-creating innovation: By targeting areas of non-consumption or underserved markets, young innovators can create new products or services that address unmet needs or create new demand. This can generate significant wealth and social impact for themselves and their communities. For example, Global Citizen4 showcases some examples of young African innovators who are creating solutions for various sectors such as health, agriculture, energy, education, and finance.