The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Ayariga, has identified unemployability—not unemployment—as the key challenge facing young people across Africa.
Speaking at the Continental Youth Symposium in Morocco, he explained that many young Africans are educated but lack the skills required by the job market.
“The challenge is not simply unemployment — it is unemployability,” he stated.
Mr. Ayariga noted that while many young people possess formal qualifications, they often lack the competencies demanded by employers and evolving markets.
He outlined what he described as a “three-part problem” contributing to the crisis:
- Skills gap — training that does not align with market needs
- Capacity gap — insufficient human and adaptive skills to navigate change
- Leadership gap — limited youth participation in policy and programme design
He stressed that addressing any of these issues in isolation would be ineffective.
“Addressing any one of these in isolation will not be enough. We must tackle all three together,” he said, calling for integrated policy responses across education, labour, and governance systems.
The NYA CEO further advocated for stronger youth inclusion in decision-making processes. “Youth leadership must be foundational and not optional,” he emphasised, adding that when young people are engaged as co-creators, policies become more relevant and impactful.
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