NYA CEO Calls for Skills Reform, Entrepreneurship to Secure Africa’s Youth Future

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Osman Ayariga Esq., has urged young people across Africa to view entrepreneurship not as an option, but as a means of survival. He made the call at the Africa Prosperity Dialogue 2026, organized by the Africa Prosperity Network under the theme “Empowering SMEs, Women and Youth in Africa’s Single Market.”

Mr. Ayariga noted that government is sharpening it’s focus on youth entrepreneurship in response to rising unemployment, as millions of young Africans enter the labour market annually while formal job creation continues to lag.

Highlighting the National Apprenticeship Programme, he explained that the initiative is designed to formalize skills acquisition, align training with real economic value chains, and prepare young people for work beyond geographical boundaries. He said the programme reflects a strategic shift from informal skills to recognized competencies, domestic employability to regional competitiveness, and survival-based training to opportunity-driven preparation under the AfCFTA.

Touching on the creative sector, Mr. Ayariga stressed that cultural diplomacy must be institutionalized rather than episodic. He called for stronger intellectual property regimes, noting that Africa does not lack culture but rather the financing structures needed to support creatives through sustained private-sector collaboration, not state funding alone.

The Africa Prosperity Dialogue serves as a platform for business and political leaders to advance Africa’s single market agenda, featuring high-level discussions, panel sessions, and networking opportunities