Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and former African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina have highlighted the urgent need to empower youths as critical drivers of Africa’s future prosperity.
Speaking on Monday at the Seyi Tinubu 41st Birthday Colloquium, Governor Sanwo-Olu, reflecting on his upcoming handover in a few months emphasized that sustainable development requires long-term vision and intergenerational collaboration. .
Citing the 40-year journey of the Lagos Blue Line conceived in 1983 and brought to fruition through successive administrations, he noted that the most transformative projects often span multiple generations.
Drawing from his professional journey from surveying and banking to public office, Sanwo-Olu credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for deliberately integrating young professionals into government during his tenure as governor, creating an environment where emerging leaders could debate, challenge ideas, and grow.
The Governor also called for civic participation, skill mastery, and a commitment to local development.
“Travel to learn if you must, but keep a foothold back home and bring your knowledge and ideas back to help build our communities,” Sanwo-Olu said, while challenging his own generation to mentor selflessly, hire young talent, and clear the path for incoming leadership.
Delivering the keynote address titled “African Next: Building the Demographic Advantage to Economic Advantage,” Dr. Akinwumi Adesina shifted the lens to the continent’s macro-economic realities.
He argued that Africa’s economic future can no longer rely solely on subterranean resource extraction, such as oil, gas, gold, and lithium.
Adesina stressed that Africa’s true transformative asset lies in its rapidly growing population, warning that sheer numbers do not automatically translate to wealth.
“Numbers alone do not create prosperity. Capability does,” Adesina stated, urging African governments to heavily invest in education, technical skills, and entrepreneurship.
