Accra, 12 September 2025 . The side event, “Scaling Youth-Led Green Enterprises in Africa: Bridging Gaps and Fostering Growth,” by Nova Impact held at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, shone a spotlight on the dynamic yet challenging world of youth-driven green entrepreneurship across Africa. As part of the African Youth Conference (AYC 2025), the gathering brought together innovators, development partners, and policymakers to explore how young entrepreneurs are advancing sustainable solutions despite systemic hurdles.
The session was expertly moderated by Celestina Aidoo, Executive Director of Nova Impact, who “set the tone for a dynamic dialogue.” Under her guidance, the event “fostered a conversation on overcoming barriers and scaling impact in green enterprises across Africa.” Opening with a strong emphasis on the transformative potential of Africa’s youth in the green economy, the event moved beyond inspirational rhetoric to analyze tangible growth enablers and systemic barriers.
Its agenda skillfully blended keynote narratives, thematic panels, and interactive Q&A segments, facilitating nuanced discussions across critical sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, waste management, and ecotourism.
Enyonam Manye, CEO of Ghanaian Farmer TV, provided a compelling personal narrative tracing her evolution from a national service radio presenter to a leading voice in youth agricultural entrepreneurship. Her pioneering use of multimedia storytelling, particularly digital platforms, has redefined perceptions by elevating farming as a dignified, lucrative career. Despite challenges including station closures and funding constraints, Enyonam’s strategic collaboration with district agricultural offices amplified rural voices and catalyzed impact, demonstrating the power of authentic storytelling in shifting societal narratives.
Mathias Charles Yabe, founder of AkoFresh, highlighted infrastructural and investment hurdles impeding youth-led agri-tech growth. He stressed the imperative of embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in project design and grant proposals to meet evolving investor requirements. Mathias advocated for meticulous financial tracking, business registration, and robust networking, alongside innovative utilization of 3D prototypes and data-driven case studies to bolster credibility and funding success.
Kekeli Yaw Dorkenoo, founder of Keldork Global Innovations, emphasized ecosystem development as a cornerstone for sustainable youth entrepreneurship. He advocated for “accelerated legislative reforms to simplify start-up registration and green enterprise incentives,” alongside strengthened partnerships between youth-led ventures, government, and international development agencies. He further noted that “A strong digital presence is a critical asset for visibility and funding attraction,” advocating proactive brand-building in the online space.
The panel engaged participants in a candid Q&A addressing funding scarcity, digital branding, technology deployment, and capacity building. Crucially, discussions highlighted the need for specialized workshops on “ grant writing, financial governance, and prototype development tailored for young green entrepreneurs.” Financial strategies were a cornerstone theme, spanning grant financing with stringent ESG compliance, blended finance, social impact bonds, and underutilized impact investing avenues. Speakers advocated for flexible funding vehicles accommodating the seasonality of agricultural enterprises and emphasized robust financial governance to instill investor confidence.
Policy recommendations focused on youth-inclusive amendments in start-up legislation, tax incentives such as holiday schemes and input subsidies, and the creation of transparent government grant schemes with explicit impact metrics. Ecosystem-building priorities included incubators, accelerator programs, leadership mentoring, and peer networks facilitating off-market funding access through international linkages. Technology and innovation deployment centered on incentivizing solar-powered cold storage.
IoT solutions for farm data collection, blockchain for supply chain transparency, and digital storytelling for enhanced investor engagement. Private sector collaboration was urged, with calls to integrate youth start-ups into value chains, technical assistance, and targeted CSR funding.
Regional scaling strategies proposed harmonized certifications and customs facilitation to ease cross-border trade and pan-African youth entrepreneurship forums to share best practices and broaden market reach. The event also acknowledged challenges beyond funding, including societal stigma marginalizing agriculture, deficient market linkages, climate variability threatening resilience, and gender-specific barriers restricting young women’s land and capital access. Concluding on a resolute note, the Nova Impact session underscored, “Africa’s future hinges on empowering its youth as architects of a sustainable green economy.” It called for cohesive multi-sector action from policy reform and ecosystem nurturing to strategic partnerships and authentic, data-driven storytelling. This event marks a significant milestone in the shared journey, signaling a call to intensify support for Africa’s youth-led green enterprises as key drivers of inclusive, climate-resilient growth.
By Fritz Torgbor Torto.