At the Africa Youth Conference held at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ahmed Bening Wiisichong, Secretary‑General of the Pan African Youth Union, urged governments, private sector and development partners to provide the resources needed for young Africans to transform climate ideas into sustainable businesses.
Wiisichong highlighted that many youth‑led projects in renewable energy, climate‑smart agriculture, waste management, recycling, sustainable mobility and digital technologies struggle to move beyond the prototype stage because of limited access to finance, technical expertise, markets, mentorship and supportive policy environments.
He stressed that scaling innovation requires a deliberate shift from isolated initiatives to solutions that can be replicated, financed and sustained across communities and countries. “Scaling youth‑led green innovation requires moving beyond isolated initiatives towards solutions that can be replicated, financed and sustained across communities and countries,” he said.
The Secretary‑General called for stronger collaboration among youth innovators, governments, private sector, financial institutions, universities and development partners. He outlined four key actions: expanding green financing, strengthening entrepreneurship and technical skills, supporting research and technology transfer, and creating platforms for market access and regional value chains.
Wiisichong also urged that policies recognise youth‑led enterprises as essential contributors to Africa’s green industrialisation and job creation. He warned that scaling innovation should not merely increase the number of ideas but must create the conditions for successful ideas to grow, reach more people and deliver measurable impact.
He further stressed the need to ensure rural youth, young women and underserved communities benefit from opportunities in the emerging green economy, arguing that sustainability must be inclusive, create decent jobs and promote social equity.
What follows is a call for governments and partners to translate these recommendations into concrete funding programmes, mentorship schemes and policy reforms that will enable African youth to thrive in the green economy.
