Ghana’s Youth Take Centre Stage at 2025 Enactus National Expo

By Youth TV Newsroom | Accra, Ghana

Ghana’s youth-led innovation ecosystem received a powerful boost this week as the 2025 Enactus Ghana National Exposition and Social Innovation Contest convened students, policymakers, and development partners in Accra. Representing the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. George Opare Addo, the CEO of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Abdulai Ayariga, delivered a compelling address outlining government’s strategic vision to empower young people through enterprise and innovation.

This year’s event, held under the theme “Global Perspectives: Entrepreneurship Without Borders”, showcased student-led social enterprises tackling real-world challenges—from environmental sustainability to financial inclusion. For Ayariga, the Expo was a clear demonstration of the “bold ideas and fearless execution” required to address Ghana’s development needs.

“In a world interconnected by technology, markets, and ideas, entrepreneurship must no longer be confined by geography—it must be inspired by purpose,” he said.

Government’s Commitment to Youth Empowerment

In his remarks, Ayariga reaffirmed the government’s commitment to placing young people at the centre of Ghana’s development strategy. He detailed several key interventions led by the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment and its agencies, including:

• The National Youth Policy (2022–2032): A decade-long framework aimed at mainstreaming youth inclusion in governance, education, innovation, and civic engagement.
• Youth Resource Centres: Under construction across the country, these centres will serve as hubs for digital skills training, entrepreneurship incubation, and vocational development.
• The National Apprenticeship Program (NAP): A GH₵300 million initiative targeting 100,000 youth with a dual training model—70% practical, 30% theoretical—to boost job creation and enterprise.
• Youth in Innovative Agriculture Programme (YIAP): A strategic effort to rebrand agriculture as a modern, tech-enabled career path for young Ghanaians.
• Startup Support: Through collaboration with NEIP and GEA, the NYA continues to disburse capital, provide business incubation, and assist youth entrepreneurs with market access and certification.
• Civic Leadership Initiatives: Structured mentorship and bootcamp programmes are being used to instill ethical leadership and civic consciousness in young people.

“These interventions are not standalone projects,” Ayariga stressed. “They form a national strategy to transform Ghana’s youthful population into its most valuable development asset.”

Enactus as a Strategic Partner

With operations in over 33 countries, Enactus provides university students with the tools and platforms to launch impactful social enterprises. Ghana’s chapter has grown in both visibility and influence, and according to Ayariga, it remains a key ally in government’s broader youth empowerment agenda.

“We have seen Enactus teams turn waste into opportunity, equip rural women with digital tools, and deliver local solutions to global challenges. This is entrepreneurship with purpose—and it must be scaled.”

He encouraged students not to see the competition as a finish line, but as a launchpad for future impact.

“Whether you win or not, you have already proven that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Ghana. Keep refining your solutions. Keep leading.”

A Call for Greater Collaboration

Ayariga concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to support youth-driven innovation.

“The time for youth is now,” he declared. “Let us ensure entrepreneurship becomes the new currency of Ghana’s development.”

The Enactus Ghana National Expo continues to be a flagship moment for spotlighting the ingenuity of the country’s youth, and a reminder of what’s possible when young minds are given the space—and the support—to lead.