‘Bet On Youth’ To Realise Africa’s Digital Potential, UN Deputy Chief Says

Tuesday, 22 July 2025, 10:36 am
Press Release: UN News

In 2024, only 34 per cent of women and 45 per cent of men
on the continent used the internet, compared to global
averages of 65 and 70 per cent. Meanwhile, 98 per cent of
Africans under the age of 18 do not complete school with
even basic STEM (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics) skills, reflecting long-term underinvestment in
education.

This slow progress in digital integration
and STEM education is impeding Africa’s ability to reach
the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) by
2030, the report noted. The “digital divide” hits
marginalised groups hardest, including women and rural
communities.

“Africa is a vast and populous
continent, rich in natural endowments and talents. Yet much
of that potential remains underutilised,” said Philémon
Yang, the President
of the General Assembly in a message to the
meeting.

The potential of youth

Deputy
Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, told delegates that Africa
must “bet on youth.”

By 2050, there will be over
850 million young people in Africa.

“This is an
incredible opportunity. Realising this potential means
investing in STEM education now. It means building digital
infrastructure that connects talent to

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Opportunity,”
Ms. Mohammed said.

But current systems do not
sufficiently support young innovators – three-fourths of
young Africans have insecure employment, lacking basic
protections.

This lack of social protection is part of
a wider labour rights gap, the report noted. In 2023, only
19 per cent of people in Africa had access to at least one
form of social protection –such as social security or
health insurance – compared to 53 per cent
globally.

“Strong social protection is not just
about safety nets. It is about creating the stability that
allows societies to take risks, innovate and grow,” Ms.
Mohammed said.

People-cantered approaches

The
report calls on governments and partners to adopt a
people-cantered approach that promotes digital and
technological innovation while also decent work, rights and
intellectual property.

“Resilience cannot be
achieved without governance that places people at the centre
of policy design and implementation,” the report
said.

Speakers also stressed that African expertise
must guide solutions.

“We reaffirm our collective
determination to ensure that Africa’s development is led
by its own people, grounded in knowledge, innovation and
social justice,” said Ahmadou Lamin Sameteh, Minister of
Health of the Gambia, speaking for the African
Group.

Power of partnerships

In his message,
Mr. Yang said no single African country can achieve full
digital integration alone; regional cooperation and
multilateral support are essential.

“[Digital tools]
can offer a way into the future… [but] no country can
close these gaps alone…multilateral cooperation with the
United Nations at its centre has secured eight decades of
unprecedented human progress,” he said.

Ms. Mohammed
emphasised the possibilities “when we get this
right.”

“The choice is ours — we can continue
business-as-usual and watch the 2030 Agenda slip away or we
can support systemic
transformation.”

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