Young Ghanaians need greater access to markets, leadership opportunities and meaningful platforms to apply their skills if the country is to unlock the full potential of its youthful population, two youth development advocates have said.

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Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Fertilizer Limited, Nana Kusi Appiah, and founder of Youth in Transformative Development Africa (YIDA), Christabel Odonkor, say young people across different backgrounds share a common aspiration – to be given the opportunity to contribute, grow their businesses and create jobs.

Their comments come as Ghana joins the global community to mark International Youth Day 2026, which is being observed on August 12 under the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations.”

The theme recognises that although young people come from different backgrounds, communities and circumstances, they share common aspirations for quality education, meaningful work, entrepreneurship and opportunities to build better futures.

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The focus is particularly relevant to Ghana as the country continues to grapple with the challenge of translating the growing number of young people entering the labour market into productive employment and sustainable livelihoods.

The Mastercard Foundation’s Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026 highlights major transitions shaping the future of work, including the shift from agriculture to services, the movement of young people from rural to urban economies and the growing importance of relevant skills.

The report also underscores the need for quality job creation, greater inclusion and stronger pathways to sustainable livelihoods.

For Nana Kusi Appiah, who is a participant of the Kosmos Innovation Center programme, access to finance and business development support helped him transform an idea into a business producing fertilizer from organic waste for smallholder farmers in Ghana.

He, however, believes access to finance must be matched with access to markets if young businesses are to survive, expand and create jobs.

“First and foremost, I'll speak about access to market because we believe the young people have been given the chance, right? We have to be given the opportunity to serve in those markets as well,” he said.

📰 Source: Joy Online Ghana