What they don’t tell you about entrepreneurship

The role of entrepreneurship in job creation has been a major point of discussion for its potential to stimulate economic growth in Africa. As the population in Africa grows, youth entrepreneurship, in particular, has significant potential to lead economic growth. But youth entrepreneurs face significant and often unanticipated challenges.

To unravel some of the challenges faced by young African entrepreneurs, the latest episode of the Young Africa Connects, moderated by BBC Africa award-winning journalist Waihiga Mwaura,  brought together reputable young Pan-African entrepreneurs to share stories of their entrepreneurship journey.

The panelists discussed how entrepreneurs in Africa are often driven by stories of successful western entrepreneurs but do not have access to the supportive systems that enabled those successful entrepreneurs to build global businesses. 

“20 years ago, the economies of the US and other European countries were very resilient”, says, Kelvin Nyame, Co-founder/CEO of Meqasa.com. “So if we want to copy (them), we need to look at economies that are very similar to our African market and ask how entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia were building businesses when they had corrupt leaders, high interest on loans, unstable internet?” 

About Young Africa Connects

Young Africa Connects aims to inspire, engage, and uplift young people while amplifying the work they are doing across the continent. It is a platform for young people to discuss issues and topics relevant to them and access the information and resources they need as they strive to build dignified lives for themselves and their families. Recent episodes of Young Africa Connects have discussed topics such as self-taught, employable: securing & thriving in work, and creating opportunities in a digital world.

To get more updates on the next episode and other information, follow  Young Africa Works on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.