Youth inclusion in green technology in Africa: A policy landscape analysis of Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana - APRI – Africa Policy Research Institute

Endowed with abundant natural resources and a growing youth population, Africa has the potential to become the global hub for solar, wind and green hydrogen investments. With about 600 million Africans still lacking access to electricity, the continent offers significant investment opportunities in renewable energy technologies and solutions that deliver clean, reliable energy to underserved communities, unlocking green jobs and other economic opportunities.

APRI, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, will be launching three new country report and discuss what it will take to build youth‑inclusive green economies. Join us for the launch, featuring insights from leading voices and a discussion on building truly youth-inclusive green economies. Africa’s green technology sectors are generating jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people, demonstrating that climate action can also reduce youth unemployment. Yet policy, financing, and skills systems have not kept pace, and climate policies do not always incorporate youth employment outcomes. A handful of African countries have only partially integrated green technology into youth employment strategies. The evidence on the scale and quality of green jobs, barriers facing youth-led startups, and the role of Indigenous and local knowledge in innovation also remains limited.

BERLIN, GERMANY, (30 April 2026) – A new generation of African youth-led startups is working to address the continent's interconnected challenges of climate change, resilient economic growth, and widespread youth unemployment by powerfully blending green technology with Indigenous knowledge. According to three new reports from APRI - Africa Policy Research Institute, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, these innovative ventures are the key to a sustainable economy, but they require coordinated support to succeed. While UNCTAD finds Sub-Saharan African countries among the least prepared to adopt frontier green technologies, the reports highlight a dynamic shift driven by young entrepreneurs in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria who are developing locally relevant solutions. These startups are creating critical climate solutions, from e-mobility to solar mini-grids and climate-smart agriculture, and their growing businesses are also generating jobs for the continent's largest demographic.