Why Youth in Africa should become entrepreneurs?

Africa is increasingly taking its place on the global stage as a continent of growth and opportunity. Yet critical challenges remain, particularly the need to create a significant number of jobs for the continent’s booming population, and the need to build a cadre of home-grown business leaders able to access global markets and drive growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner. For this reason, African entrepreneurship is central to Africa’s future prosperity. The biggest business opportunities in the coming decade will be created by Africans who start businesses, generate jobs and wealth, and capture growth opportunities.

Considering the depressed state of the formal job market in Africa, it’s a good thing that more and more youth in Sub-Saharan Africa are looking to entrepreneurship to secure their future.  

 The education system that we have encourages students to become job seekers instead of job creators thus hindering youths from realizing their full potential. Even those who have not gone to school would prefer to get employed than to start their own businesses. Most of those who start their own businesses do so out of necessity. I believe that our attention should be on sustainability of entrepreneurship projects because entrepreneurship is a silver bullet to our unemployment challenges.

Why youth should become entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurs are innovators. Think of all the new technology and ideas that have come to life over the past few years. Those were all once just an idea but amazing entrepreneurs brought those ideas to life.

You have the opportunity to change lives. Have an idea for a product or service that has the potential to make a huge impact? Go for it ,nothing is stopping you!

You serve as a role model. As an entrepreneur, people will look up to you. You have the ability to be a role model to family, friends, employees and community members. Your success serves as motivation and inspiration.

Your mind will always be utilized. Every single decision that involves your business is your responsibility, from the initial concept to the broader growth of the business.

You never feel undervalued. If you have ideas to make the business better; you can implement them right away. You don’t have to hope that someone in a higher position will give you the time of day and listen to your suggestions.

Opportunity to give back. Owning a business gives you the opportunity to support local charity events, local schools and nonprofit organizations. Being able to make a difference in your community is a great feeling.

Partner with us at Kyusa as we train, inspire and empower youth to become entrepreneurs as a way of gearing them towards becoming key players in the African economy.