This archive report was first published on 12 October 2019.
With a staggering 70% of Africa's population under the age of 30, the continent boasts the largest youth population in history.
However, this demographic dividend can only be harnessed if governments create an enabling environment for youth innovation and participation in development.
As President Paul Kagame noted at the Youth Connekt Africa in Rwanda, 'to develop, we must innovate.'
Despite the potential, many African countries face challenges such as a poor standard of education, low investment in research, and uneven adoption of innovative processes and solutions.
According to the 2019 Global Innovation Index, these factors have held back innovation in many African countries.
Examples of successful youth-led innovations, such as M-Pesa and m-Pedigree, demonstrate the potential for growth when young people are empowered to innovate.
As the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2018 recommends, low-income economies should prioritize creating a favourable education system, extensive ICT adoption, and domestic market competition to drive innovation and employment.
