On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Sir Sam Jonah addressed the Methodist University Ghana International Conference 2026, celebrating the university’s 25th anniversary. The business mogul called on Africa’s young people to embrace entrepreneurship as a respectable career path rather than relying on public‑sector jobs for economic security.
Jonah cautioned that if the continent continues to view government employment as the preferred or only route, poverty and unemployment will persist. He noted the challenges graduates face in securing jobs after tertiary education, and highlighted the allure of public institutions for their perceived stability and benefits.
“Make enterprise respectable again. Too many of our brightest young people still see business as something you do only if you could not get a government job. A nation of job‑seekers will always be poor. We need a nation of job‑creators,” Jonah said. He urged African governments to create conditions that enable graduates to build successful careers and businesses at home, rather than leaving for opportunities abroad.
He added, “We educate brilliant young people, at great cost, and then offer them nothing to do. Some sit at home. Some leave. Our best export is too often our best people. A sustainable Africa is one that keeps its talent working at home, not because they have no choice, but because home offers the best opportunity.”
Jonah’s remarks come as African nations grapple with high youth unemployment and a need for private sector growth. The call for a shift toward entrepreneurship aims to spark a new wave of job creation across the continent.
