By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

In a powerful display of continental solidarity and ambition, the NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs (NYE) on Wednesday gathered young innovators, policymakers, and business leaders from across Africa for the 2025 Africa Youth Investment Forum (AYIF) in Abuja—an event many participants described as a turning point for Africa’s development trajectory.

Held under the theme of reshaping entrepreneurial mindsets and building a unified agenda for growth, the forum drew representatives from multiple African nations, all committed to crafting a new narrative for the continent’s rising generation.

In her stirring welcome address, Ambassador Dr. Sameera Abubakar Abdullahi, National Coordinator of NYE, set the tone for the high-level gathering. She emphasized the urgent need for African nations to harmonize their development efforts into a single, coherent roadmap.

“As Africans, we are one,” she declared. “We need a blueprint or roadmap to achieve giant strides. We are doing a lot and achieving a little; we are here to change that narrative.”

Dr. Abdullahi noted that participants were meticulously selected—both to reflect the diversity of African youth and to scale up NYE’s long-standing vision of a continent where young entrepreneurs drive transformative growth. Delegates, she said, would engage in deep brainstorming sessions aimed at generating continent-wide strategies for economic upliftment.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Engr. Dr. Jani Ibrahim, Engr. Suleiman Audu applauded NYE for building what he described as “not just a platform, but a movement.”

He highlighted challenges confronting African entrepreneurs—ranging from limited access to finance and mentorship shortages to information gaps—and expressed confidence that AYIF 2025 would help dismantle these barriers.

“This forum will create a seamless pathway for young people to excel,” he said, urging stakeholders across the continent to forge stronger partnerships with NYE to expand opportunities for Africa’s youth.

Addressing the gathering in a thought-provoking keynote, Emmanuel Bassey, Group CEO/Managing Director of ERNE Companies, challenged prevailing assumptions about the obstacles limiting youth entrepreneurship.

He argued that while access to finance is often cited as the number-one barrier, many young Africans misunderstand the true nature of the challenge.

“Many of us focus on artificial problems,” Bassey said. “Finance is not always the biggest obstacle. Look out for real challenges and solve them.”

He urged young innovators to set clear goals, seek purposeful mentorship, and engage with available opportunities instead of waiting for ideal conditions to appear.

In a continental perspective infused with diplomacy and innovation, Ambassador Phil Roberts, Nigeria’s Global Tourism Ambassador and Director for Tourism Africa at the International Association of Diplomats, emphasized the transformative potential of a shared African vision.

“The programme we attended today is focused on developing a 2030 blueprint and introducing new solutions to the challenges faced by African entrepreneurs,” Roberts said.

He highlighted ongoing efforts to create inter-trade missions designed to foster business growth across the continent. He stressed that true progress requires listening to diverse voices.

“You cannot achieve meaningful progress without hearing people speak for themselves,” he said. “Each country has unique challenges. When participants share perspectives from their countries, they help shape solutions—solutions that can also be adapted across regions. Continuous dialogue is what leads to sustainability.”

Addressing journalists at the occasion, HRH Muhammad Yusuf SainLere, President/Chairman of the Nigeria-Egypt Business Council and executive member of NACCIMA, reaffirmed the pivotal role of youth in Africa’s economic trajectory.

“The youth are the fans of our community, and they need encouragement,” he said. “NACCIMA has a youth wing, and this event is meant for them—to educate them on doing business and provide mentorship.”

Speaking to journalists, the NACCIMA National President, Indira Jani-Bidrahi, and in his capacity as chair of the multilateral and bilateral trade group as well as the Nigerian Youth U.S. Council, the royal father praised NYE’s leadership for championing youth empowerment at a time when Africa needs it most.

As the Africa Youth Investment Forum 2025 concluded its opening sessions, one message reverberated across the halls: Africa’s youth are ready—not only to participate in the continent’s transformation but to lead it.

With unified voices, bold ideas, and cross-border collaboration, participants left with renewed determination to craft the Africa envisioned by the continent’s great thinkers—a prosperous, innovative, and inclusive Africa driven by the energy and ingenuity of its youth.

The story of AYIF 2025, many observed, may well be remembered as the moment Africa’s next generation decided to rewrite the script of the continent’s future.