Accenture partners with UNDP to help young entrepreneurs in Africa

With the objective of ensuring that the potential of the young population across Africa is realised, global management consultancy Accenture has collaborated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to launch the Youth for Africa and Sustainable Development Goals platform.

Africa has the youngest median population in the world, and a majority of the substantial continental population is on the verge of entering the productive age. As it stands, this is a pivotal moment for Africa, with the potential to determine whether this demographic advantage can propel the region’s economy into a more central global profile.

Crucial to this realisation is to ensure that the youth on the continent is equipped with the necessary skill and knowledge to maintain growth and relevance across the economy. At a two-day programme in Lagos, Accenture and the UNDP have launched a platform that will attempt to do just this.

The Youth for Africa and Sustainable Development Goals platform is designed to foster the entrepreneurial spirit across Africa. To this end, the programme lays emphasis on four primary aspects of entrepreneurship, namely information, mentorship, funding and network.

The programme has been put together by the UNDP’s Regional Service Centre for Africa, while Accenture offers the expertise and digital support. Accenture has been among the most active firms on the continent with respect to fostering an innovative spirit to help accelerate economic growth.

Commenting on the programme, the UNDP’s Regional Director Lamin Momodou Manneh said, “Africa’s entrepreneurial space is advancing rapidly – however, success stories are often isolated and commonly found only on the national or regional level. In North and West Africa, Nigeria and Egypt are taking a lead role while other localities remain marginalized. Youth for Africa and Sustainable Development Goals will help to scale up these efforts across the region, and the entire continent, to improve on the individual achievements and make them collective.”

Rory Moore, Director of Accenture’s Liquid Studio and the Innovation Lead at Accenture Africa added, “Youth entrepreneurship is very important to the growth of the African economies. The more youth are empowered to create sustainable businesses, the more jobs are created.