From Job Seekers to Opportunity Creators | FNB

Alumni Impact

31 Aug 2026

Africa does not lack young potential. What it lacks are enough pathways to help young people contribute meaningfully to the economy. The continent’s youth population is often described as one of its greatest assets. But demographics alone do not create prosperity.

A young population becomes a dividend only when young people participate meaningfully in the economy, not only as employees, but as innovators, entrepreneurs, suppliers, business owners, employers and contributors to growth. Too often, Africa’s youth challenge is framed mainly as unemployment. It is that, but also something deeper: a systems problem.

Education, skills development, leadership development, entrepreneurship support, access to finance, market access and business networks are often treated as separate interventions, yet for young people they form part of one economic journey.

Moving beyond employment as the only answer

According to Statistics South Africa, young people continue to carry a disproportionate share of unemployment and economic exclusion:

Almost half of South Africa’s working-age population is between the ages of 15 and 34.
In the first quarter of 2026, the unemployment rate was 60.9% among those aged 15 to 24 and 40.6% among those aged 25 to 34.
More than four in ten young people aged 15 to 34 were not in employment, education or training.

These numbers should concern governments, business leaders, educators, financial institutions, communities and young people. They should force Africa to confront a question: are we solving a new economic challenge with an old framework?

For decades, the conversation has focused largely on employment: how to create jobs, prepare young people for the workplace and improve employability. These questions remain important.

Employment matters. But if our ambition is only to help young people find jobs, we may be solving yesterday’s problem. The deeper question is whether Africa is creating conditions for young people to build businesses, create value and contribute meaningfully to the economy, rather than simply preparing them for employment.

If young people continue to be assessed primarily by what they lack, from collateral and credit history to networks and experience, we risk overlooking what they are capable of building.

The challenge is therefore bigger than employment. It is about whether Africa is developing people who can contribute meaningfully to the economy or whether we are perpetuating dependency.

Building pathways to participation and growth

Africa’s development agenda cannot depend solely on the hope that enough jobs will be created. It must also be built on the belief that young people can solve problems, build enterprises and generate employment for others.

Youth development should not be viewed as a social initiative. It is an economic imperative.

Africa has the youngest population in the world, with more than 400 million people aged 15 to 35. That population is expected to exceed 830 million by 2050.

But potential on its own is not enough.

Before a young person starts a business, applies for funding or enters the workforce, they need confidence, exposure, leadership, financial literacy, entrepreneurial thinking, networks and access to opportunity. Many are also taking on family and financial responsibilities earlier, which means they cannot wait passively for traditional pathways to open.

YLED illustrates this point through leadership development, financial literacy, entrepreneurial skills and employability support, helping prepare young people for academia, employment, self-employment and community engagement.

FNB’s continued partnership with YLED through the Youth Entrepreneurship Dialogue reinforces the value of connecting emerging entrepreneurs with mentorship, networks and opportunity. Africa does not only need young people who can enter the economy. It needs young people who can shape it, build within it and create opportunities for others.

Young entrepreneurs in action

Matric Live, winner of the 2024 FNB App of the Year Awards, demonstrates what becomes possible when these pathways connect. Developed by young entrepreneur Lesego Finger, the platform supports Grade 10 to 12 learners through interactive lessons and AI-enabled academic support.

More importantly, it shows how a young entrepreneur identified a real challenge, applied digital skills to solve it, built a business around that solution and created value for others.

That is the difference between producing job seekers and developing people who create opportunities for others.

Youth development cannot be left to government alone. Nor can it be treated as a once-off campaign, seasonal priority or narrow employment-readiness exercise. Africa needs a sustained approach that connects skills, access to finance, enterprise support, market access and entrepreneurial opportunity.

Young entrepreneurs are not charity cases. They are potential contributors to growth. This is not charity. It is shared value. When young people become economically active, they create businesses, employ others, generate innovation and build value. When they are excluded, dependency deepens and the cost is carried by families, communities, businesses and the state.

Strengthening pathways for the next generation

At FNB, this thinking shapes our youth development approach through entrepreneurship support, funding readiness, App of the Year, YLED and the FNB Youth Academy. The focus is strengthening pathways that help young people move from capability to enterprise and economic contribution.

For Africa, the question is bigger than youth unemployment alone. Do we view our young population as a challenge to be managed, or as a generation of builders whose potential must be unlocked? The answer will determine whether Africa’s demographic dividend becomes prosperity or a missed opportunity.

Youth development is not an initiative. It is an imperative.

Africa’s future will not be determined by the size of its youth population. It will be determined by whether that generation is equipped to create value, build enterprises, create opportunities for others and help shape the continent’s future.

By Ghana Msibi, FNB Business CEO

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