YOUTH | ICT | UNEMPOYMENT 

The youth in Africa have been advised to embrace the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool to addressing youth unemployment in their respective countries.   

According to the youth entrepreneurs, with the digitalized world, the youth need to move away from job hunting and start up their own initiatives, using digital spaces and ICT.   

To empower the youth in the ICT sector, African Governments have, however, been implored to extend tax holidays to the youth using ICT in their entrepreneurship ventures. 

Giving an example of Ghana, Oswald Wedam Anonadaga, the founder Floodgates, Ghana said the youth and ICT innovators in Ghana have been able to enjoy the digital space, following the introduction of tax breaks by the Government. 

“In Ghana, there are tax breaks for ICT innovators. They have a tax break for a few years. COVID-19 showed us things can be done remotely,” Oswald said. 

He made the remarks during a panel discussion on tackling youth unemployment in Africa: Leveraging ICT for sustainable employment and job creation, at the ongoing Third peer review mechanisms (APRM) youth Symposium in Munyonyo. 

The four days’ conference which started on Monday, is running under the theme: Repositioning the youth agenda for a transformative continent.   

Using ICT, Oswald explained that the youth can make use of different social media platforms to make a living, as opposed to looking for office jobs. 

He said; “In Ghana, the youth are earning income by creating social comedy arts on social media, we also have the gig economy making great way in Ghana people are able to go online and offer skills for sustainable income, that is how youth unemployment is being resolved in Ghana”. 

On his part, Raymond Ochieng, the secretary youth affairs in the ministry of ICT, the republic of Kenya said about 2 million Kenyan youth are working online using ICT earning about $50,000 from the comfort of their homes. 

According to Ochieng, 90% of phone access in Kenya, is by the young people between the age of 35 and below. 

“With Information Communication Technology revolution, you don’t have barriers to market. You have you tube stars emerging in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya,” he said. 

As a call to action on African Governments, the youth asked African leaders to ensure that digital acceptance becomes part and parcel of the youth across Africa. 

The youth also asked the Governments to be deliberate in terms of programming to ensure that the young people are involved at the center of planning. 

“We have so much resources that the world needs currently, ICT and the quality of education push these narratives so that the young people can actually be respected for who we are,” Zulaiha Dobia Abdullah, the founder Divaloper initiative Ghana said. 

Responding to the youth, Simon Mayende, Ministry of ICT Uganda said there is need to push for mindset change and orientation of the young people. 

He said; “We need to push for mindset change so that people especially the youth. We need to re orient and refocus them to critical areas of vital development and growth within their communities”. 

Statistics show that Africa has the youngest population in the world, with 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of 30. Niger has the biggest young population in Africa, followed by Uganda.