In the build-up to the West Africa Economic Summit (WAES 2025), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has partnered with the Abuja and Lagos Global Shapers Hubs—initiatives of the World Economic Forum—to host the West Africa Youth Futures Roundtable. The high-level youth engagement was held on Friday, June 13, 2025, at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry and broadcast virtually across Anglophone and Francophone West Africa.
With the theme “AfCFTA and Youth-Led Innovation: Breaking Market Barriers,” the event gathered more than 100 emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across the sub-region to discuss the opportunities and challenges in harnessing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) for regional integration and inclusive economic growth.
Key focus areas included:
Access to capital and scale for youth-led MSMEs
Enhancing cross-border trade through digital platforms
Creating innovation ecosystems to boost youth employment
Participants also deliberated on policy-oriented questions such as improving financing access beyond urban hubs, using digital tools to ease trade friction, and supporting rural entrepreneurs through inclusive innovation models.
Delivering goodwill messages, Hon. Simi Fajemirokun, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to advancing youth-centered trade diplomacy. Ambassador Oluremi, Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, emphasized that innovation must be leveraged as a catalyst for job creation and regional competitiveness.
A distinguished panel of regional experts—ranging from economists to digital strategists—provided insights on how policy, technology, and private sector collaboration can position youth at the heart of AfCFTA implementation.
As a prelude to WAES 2025, the roundtable concluded with a strong call for harmonized policies, support for informal and rural innovators, and the need for youth-inclusive strategies. Participants were invited to contribute to a youth-led trade policy brief to be submitted to regional leaders at WAES.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed its dedication to strengthening youth diplomacy and ensuring that young West Africans play a central role in shaping the region’s economic future.
