APRI and the Mastercard Foundation Address Crucial Link Between Green Technology and Youth Employment in Africa in New Report

Berlin / Toronto, November 8, 2023. APRI – The Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) and Mastercard Foundation are pleased to publish a new report that sheds light on how African governments can spur green growth that delivers youth employment.

The report, entitled “Green technology and youth employment potential in Africa: A continental scoping report,” examines the gaps and opportunities for green technology programmes to engage and benefit the continent’s youth.

With climate change posing a major challenge to African economies, governments have been implementing policies and programmes to address its impacts. These are particularly focused on the energy and agriculture sectors, which will need to undergo significant changes to adapt to climate change. Green technologies offer opportunities for job creation and increased entrepreneurial activity in these sectors.

The study, which examines key green tech initiatives, finds that more could be done to integrate youth employment and entrepreneurship. Given the high levels of youth unemployment and the potential for innovation and entrepreneurship among Africa’s youth, this is clearly an opportunity waiting to be harnessed.

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) in particular, hold great promise for developing climate-smart solutions for greener economies. The report shows that more should be done to link this sector, which attracts young people and has seen interesting developments in recent decades, to climate change efforts.

“Our study highlights numerous opportunities for improving policy coherence and programme design to promote youth employment and entrepreneurship in green technology,” says APRI Director Dr Olumide Abimbola. “Clearly there is a need for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers from both the green tech and youth employment fields to engage in dialogue. At APRI, we are working to make this happen.”

“While climate change presents significant risks to Africa’s development agenda, the required green transition also presents a unique opportunity. This report highlights that greater policy dialogue to support Africa’s green tech industry can contribute toward improving young people’s access to jobs that are not only dignified and fulfilling, but that are also environmentally sustainable,” says Dr. Eunice Muthengi, Director of Program and Strategic Research at the Mastercard Foundation.

The report was presented and discussed by a panel of experts, including Dr Fadekunayo Adeniyi from the African Development Bank, Mwayi Kampesi from Planet Green Africa, and Chiemela Anosike from Solaris GreenTech Hub, during a webinar on November 8, 2023. To order a copy of the report or for any other enquiries, contact press@afripoli.org.

Read the Report Here

About APRI

APRI – Africa Policy Research Institute is a Berlin-based, independent, non-partisan policy institute researching key policy issues affecting the African continent. Through its various programmes, APRI provides input to the policy making processes in African countries on topics such as youth employment, climate change, and digitalization.

About the Mastercard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organizations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work. Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organization separate from the company, with offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa. Its policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership.