Ivan Atuyambe (AfCFTA YouthMan)

The wealthiest of nations will be those that invest in their young people.For @AfCFTA & intra-Africa trade to succeed, Africa’s majority - the youth need to be engaged as the main stakeholder. Glad being part of ground breaking initiatives @AfriYBC @ICOYACA @YouthAfCFTA

Thank you to all the young entrepreneurs, speakers & partners who joined the Road to Biashara webinar 🙌 Together, we’re preparing youth-led enterprises to tap into AfCFTA opportunities and scale across Africa 🌍 #BiasharaAfrika2026 #YouthInBusiness #AfCFTA

Landmark decisions - these will aid the community to move forward on key projects in the spirit of coalitions of the willing

🚀 WE'RE HIRING! 🚀 Communications & Marketing Intern (Remote, Stipend Offered) 📅 6-month internship | Start: 1 March 2025 | Deadline: 24 Feb 2025 Gain hands-on experience in digital media, PR & branding with a pan-African org! 🌍 🔗 Apply now: forms.gle/ptN63KLm5QxRQT…

This week has been illuminating! I was chanced to be part of the power team executing the African School of Governance (ASG) PanAfrican Ownership Increment and Market Opening Mission to Ghana and Senegal! Mar 1: Exchange with leading Ghanaian influencers — Israel and KalyJay on the role of influencers in advancing transformative leadership through digital amplification. Held deep reflections with Pres. John Mahama’s Advisory Team on the Accra Reset on reclaiming Africa’s sovereign negotiation capabilities. Mar 2: Transformative visit to Ashesi University —gaining key insights on building purpose-driven, values-based transformative leadership education. Mar 3: Honored to present ASG’s founding vision to H.E. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Ghana’s VP. She affirmed ASG mission, stressed need for weaving African history into ASG offerings, urged ties with Ghana’s Civil Service Institute, and wisely advised assessing past initiatives to fill gaps—not duplicate. Today, here in Senegal Presidential team meetings, partnership talks with Senegal’s Public Service College! Grateful for these power connections building Africa’s future! Who’s next? 🚀 #PanAfricanLeadership #ASG #PanAfricanLeadership

Rethinking Good Governance in Africa: What the 2025 Global Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) Signals for the Continent As someone who has at one time been part of the team behind the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), while it’s often subject to reasonable critique (rightly so), its value in telling us the opportunity we have to do and be better cannot be underestimated. The latest (2025) CPI, published by Transparency International on 10 February 2026, delivers a sobering message: Sub-Saharan Africa continues to record the lowest regional performance worldwide, averaging just 32/100. Beyond the numbers lies a deeper governance question— persistent weaknesses in state institutions and political accountability and the continued leakage of funds and other developmental public resources truly slow development progress across much of the continent. A Tale of Two Africas While the broader regional picture remains concerning, performance across countries is far from uniform. At the forefront are Seychelles (68), Cape Verde (62), Botswana (58), and Rwanda (58), all scoring well above the regional average and demonstrating that purposive public leadership, stronger state institutions and implementable accountability frameworks are achievable within the African context. At the other end of the spectrum sit a host of jurisdictions where fragile institutions and protracted instability continue to undermine good and effective public sector governance systems - and by extension denying the private sector a chance to flourish in pursuit of people-centred, private-driven economic growth and development- as should be. Patterns Emerging Across the Region Several dynamics stand out: •Limited high performers: Of 49 Sub-Saharan African countries assessed, only four scored above 50 — underscoring how rare strong governance outcomes remain. •Gradual reformers: Angola has registered a 17-point improvement since 2015. Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal are also progressing toward mid-tier rankings, suggesting incremental reforms can shift trajectories. •Corruption and social instability: In Madagascar (25), allegations surrounding misuse of public funds for essential utilities are thought to have ignited a youth-led uprising in 2025 — a reminder that governance failures carry political consequences. •Major economies under pressure: Nigeria (26) slipped steps backwards. South Africa (41) remained largely unchanged. What Must Change? The report reinforces three structural priorities: 1.Institutional independence: Anti-corruption bodies must operate free from political interference and be adequately financed. 2.Civic protection: Journalists, activists, and whistleblowers require meaningful safeguards to investigate and expose wrongdoing. 3.Transparency reforms: Digitised procurement systems and public disclosure of beneficial ownership structures are no longer optional — they are foundational. Although often criticised for ranking countries, The CPI does more than that; it reveals governance as a development accelerator — or a brake. For a continent positioning itself as the next frontier of growth, reforming public integrity systems and ensuring effective state performance is not just about compliance. It is about competitiveness, stability, and long-term prosperity. Full report: lnkd.in/ezaPj-fF

Access to Work Opportunities becomes Global Development Indicator: The Narrative is shifting- and so will Policies and Practices The narrative is shifting — and policy and practice will follow. As we witness the distractive shift in world order and the geopolitical gymnastics around it, something even more important but less visible is happening beneath the headlines. Development thinking is moving away from traditional infrastructure-heavy models, broad FDIs, and purely macro-level ODA. In their place: targeted, people-centred, private-sector-led solutions that treat youth jobs as the urgent development challenge they truly are. This isn’t theoretical. We’ve seen it clearly over the past few months. First the World Bank. Then the African Development Bank. Most recently, the OECD. Leading multilateral institutions are converging around a shared insight: access to dignified work for young people is not a by-product of development — it is a core measure of it. I’ll leave the technical lessons on impact measurement to those more expert in that space. But one thing feels unmistakably clear: policy and thought leadership are shaping mindsets — and mindsets shape policy and practice. Across the ecosystem, the narrative is tilting toward Youth in Work as a leading indicator of human development, prosperity, and long-term stability. Quietly, collectively, and decisively — the ground is shifting. And this shift matters. Because when the narrative changes, what we prioritise, fund, and measure changes too.

Can Nation Branding be a Pathway to Dignified Work Opportunities for Young People? Lessons from Rwanda Nation branding is often discussed in terms of image, tourism, or global reputation. Yet its most powerful impact may lie closer to home: shaping real economic opportunities for young citizens. Rwanda’s experience offers a compelling case. Through deliberate and sustained nation branding—anchored in clarity of vision, consistency of messaging, and alignment with national development goals—the country has positioned itself as a credible destination for investment, innovation, and talent. This enhanced perception has helped attract capital, partnerships, and sectors that generate jobs, particularly for young people. More importantly, Rwanda’s nation branding and the MICE strategy implementation has not been purely external. It has reinforced internal confidence, skills development, and ambition among youth—key ingredients for creating dignified and fulfilling work opportunities especially for young citizens. When a nation presents itself as forward-looking and reliable, it creates conditions for private sector growth, entrepreneurship, and higher-quality employment. This raises an important question for policymakers: should nation branding be treated not as a communications exercise, but as an economic growth and skilled labor absorption strategy? Rwanda’s experience suggests the answer may be yes. When nation branding is authentic, strategic, and integrated with employment and skills policies, it can become a catalyst for youth employment opportunities creation—not just jobs, but work opportunities that present with purpose, dignity, and long-term prosperity and dignity prospects for the nation’s citizens.

Better governance and domestic capital and investment will lead Africa to the next level Aid was never meant to finance Africa’s future. Its role has always been complementary—important, but insufficient for the scale of growth the continent requires. As Mo Ibrahim has recently argued, “The real magnet for investment is strong governance: predictable policies, credible institutions, transparency, and accountability. Where rules are clear and trusted, capital flows”. Africa is also not capital-poor. Pension funds, banks, insurers, diaspora savings, and sovereign funds already hold significant resources. The challenge is mobilizing African capital to back African opportunities at scale. Africa’s future will not be funded by charity, but by governance that inspires confidence and investment choices that unlock long-term value.

From Aid to Trade: How Africa Might Successfully Transition Toward People-Centred, Trade-Led Growth and Development In the face of current global and geopolitical realities, Africa is undergoing a fundamental economic pivot. Across the continent, development thinking needs to quickly move away from aid-dependent poverty alleviation toward a model anchored in trade, productivity, and value creation. This shift reflects a growing recognition that sustainable growth must be people-centred—translating economic expansion into jobs, incomes, and opportunity—while being driven by productive participation in markets. At the heart of this transition is a dual strategy. The first pillar is continental integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). By creating a single market of more than 1.4 billion people, AfCFTA tackles one of Africa’s most persistent constraints: fragmented markets. Integration expands opportunity for African producers and workers, enables firms to scale, and positions trade as a powerful engine for employment, industrialization, and shared prosperity. The second pillar is the use of targeted national industrial policies to support trade-led growth. Rather than diffuse interventions, countries need to increasingly focus on a small number of high-impact sectors aligned with their comparative advantages—such as agro-processing, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, green minerals, and digital services. These priorities need to be designed to deepen local value addition, strengthen domestic enterprises, and shift economies from exporting raw materials to trading higher-value goods and services that directly benefit people. People-centred, trade-led growth depends on strong economic foundations. Across the continent, governments need to invest in renewable energy, transport and logistics corridors, and digital connectivity to reduce the cost of doing business and link producers to markets. In parallel, radical education and skills reforms are critical to ensuring Africa’s young and growing population can participate productively in increasingly sophisticated value chains. Significant challenges remain. High debt burdens constrain fiscal space, climate change threatens infrastructure and livelihoods, and rapid population growth raises the stakes of job creation. Yet the strategic direction is clear. Africa is repositioning itself from an aid-centred paradigm toward one in which trade, industrial capacity, and regional markets drive people-centre private sector driven development outcomes. Africa is most likely to succeed where national priorities align with continental integration, where policies remain predictable and implementation-focused, and where investments in people and productivity are sustained over time. If anchored in people-centred, trade-led growth, the shift from aid to trade can transform Africa’s vast potential into resilient, inclusive, and self-sustaining prosperity.

Geographically, Africa is shaped like a question - but has all the answers the world is looking for —Ahunna Aziakonwa

ECOWAS Takes Landmark Step toward SingleAir Space - Lowers the Cost of Air Travel in West Africa At its December 2024 Summit in Abuja, the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS adopted a decisive reform to make air travel more affordable across West Africa. Effective 1 January 2026, all ECOWAS Member States will: •Abolish air transport taxes, and •Reduce passenger service and security charges by 25%, in line with a new Supplementary Act on Aviation Charges, Taxes and Fees. This long-awaited decision addresses one of the region’s most persistent barriers to connectivity: the high cost of flying, which has limited tourism, trade, and the free movement of people and goods. Implementation will be overseen by the ECOWAS Commission through a Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism, with expected impacts including lower airfares, increased passenger traffic, stronger regional airlines, and accelerated regional integration. A significant step forward for mobility, competitiveness, and economic integration in West Africa - a huge boost towards @AfCFTA implementation.

ECOWAS Takes Landmark Step toward SingleAir Space - Lowers the Cost of Air Travel in West Africa At its December 2024 Summit in Abuja, the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS adopted a decisive reform to make air travel more affordable across West Africa. Effective 1 January 2026, all ECOWAS Member States will: •Abolish air transport taxes, and •Reduce passenger service and security charges by 25%, in line with a new Supplementary Act on Aviation Charges, Taxes and Fees. This long-awaited decision addresses one of the region’s most persistent barriers to connectivity: the high cost of flying, which has limited tourism, trade, and the free movement of people and goods. Implementation will be overseen by the ECOWAS Commission through a Regional Air Transport Economic Oversight Mechanism, with expected impacts including lower airfares, increased passenger traffic, stronger regional airlines, and accelerated regional integration. A significant step forward for mobility, competitiveness, and economic integration in West Africa.

The Missing Factors for Accelerating People-Centred, Private Sector-Led Growth — and Why Collective Action Matters Across Africa and other developing regions, there is broad consensus on two fundamental truths about economic transformation. Government enables growth — through sound policy, regulatory frameworks, and supportive institutions. The private sector drives and sustains it — through investments, innovation, and job creation. Yet, despite this understanding and decades of effort, the translation of growth into inclusive, people-centred development remains inconsistent. We see growth in numbers, but not always in livelihoods. The gap between economic expansion and human well-being continues to challenge policymakers, investors, and citizens alike. So, where are the missing factors? The first is clarity of purpose — growth for whom? Economic metrics often focus on GDP, FDI inflows, or export volumes. While important, they rarely reveal who benefits, how opportunities are distributed, or whether growth is creating pathways for young people, women, and communities to thrive. Without a people-centred lens, progress risks becoming an abstraction rather than a lived experience. The second is alignment of shared responsibility. Governments create enabling environments, yet the impact of those policies depends on how private actors interpret and apply them. Similarly, private sector investments are applauded for job creation — but less scrutiny is given to the quality of those jobs, or to whether local communities and suppliers are truly integrated into value chains. Civil society and academia, meanwhile, are too often on the sidelines instead of part of the design and measurement process. The third is measurement that matters. If success is defined only by macro-indicators, we miss the everyday realities of entrepreneurs, workers, and families. We need metrics that capture productivity gains among small enterprises, increased incomes for youth and women, or reduced barriers for informal businesses moving into the formal economy. These people-level outcomes are the real indicators of sustainable, inclusive growth. So, how might we bridge these gaps? The answer lies in collective action guided by people-centred design. This approach starts with listening — deeply — to the aspirations and barriers of those who stand to gain or lose from transformation. It calls for co-creation between governments, private investors, and people — especially young people — ensuring that policy design, investment decisions, and implementation are informed by real-world experience. Public-private collaboration must evolve beyond consultation toward shared ownership of outcomes. Governments can set targets for inclusive enterprise growth. Businesses can embed social performance metrics in their strategies. Development partners can strengthen data systems and platforms for accountability. Together, these efforts can create a feedback loop where citizens are not just beneficiaries but active participants in shaping and sustaining growth. Ultimately, the goal is not only to grow economies, but to grow people’s capacity to participate in and benefit from them. A people-centred, private sector-led growth agenda — anchored in collective action — remains our best route to equitable prosperity and resilient development.

The Problem With the Global South’s Self-Help Push: Poorer countries have become more integrated but not necessarily more united. —By David C. Engerman

Come to think of it by the way - why???

We do not talk enough about this digital transformation: From this👇🏾 To this 👇🏾

Agreed - in toto !