Africa Future Framers upskills 1,500 youths, varsity Students in agribusiness

Africa Future Framers has successfully upskilled over 1,500 teenagers and university students from underserved communities, who recently converged in Lagos for the maiden edition of its festival, a capacity-building forum designed to accelerate Nigeria’s human capital development

The initiative focuses on equipping young people with practical skills in critical thinking, innovation, and responsible citizenship, competencies increasingly demanded by the digital economy but largely absent in conventional learning models.

Mercy Frank, convener of Africa Future Framers Festival, emphasised that the festival is tailored to bridge the skill gap by equipping the youngsters with tools to solve problems in their communities and scale solutions nationally.

Read also: West African insurers tap climate risks as farmers, household losses rises

“Young Africans are not waiting for the future; they want to build it. “We are handing them the tools to solve problems in their communities, scale solutions nationally, and contribute to Africa’s economic competitiveness,” Frank said.

The festival featured professionals from leading industries who facilitated hands-on sessions in multimedia editing, visual storytelling, graphics and web design, and digital content creation, delivered over five hours to prepare participants for real-world work opportunities and entrepreneurship.

Frank highlighted that as Nigeria transitions to its updated education curriculum, introducing digital literacy, coding, and entrepreneurship, many public schools face a shortage of qualified teachers; hence, the need to engage professionals as adjunct facilitators.

Read also: How bad roads frustrate farmers, stifle intra-Africa trade

“We identified that critical gap, so we are leveraging professionals who volunteer their expertise to ensure young people in underserved areas are not left behind,” Frank noted.

The festival kicks off a year-long development pathway where youth will continue learning, receive mentorship, and incubate ventures with potential economic impact.

Africa Future Framers aims to build a pipeline of skilled young innovators capable of shaping the continent’s economic and social growth, as well as the governance landscape.