The economist lamented the migration phenomenon known as ‘Japa’ in Nigeria, saying that it is a big loss for Nigeria and the Africa.

The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, says Africa’s youth bulge is a demographic asset that has to become an economic asset through rigorous investment in human capital development and financing.

The former Nigerian agriculture minister said youths in Nigeria and other 51 countries in Africa don’t need freebies under the guise of empowerment schemes but capital to fund their ideas and translate same into enduring wealth.

“In the case of young people and the japa syndrome, it’s a big loss for us,” Adesina said during an exclusive interview aired on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday.

“Young people don’t need freebies; they don’t need people saying: ‘I just want to give you an empowerment programme’.

“They have skills, they have knowledge, they have entrepreneurship capacity, they want to turn their ideas into great businesses.

“What young people need is not those empowerment programmes; they need capital, they need you to put your money at risk on their behalf,” he added.

The economist lamented the migration phenomenon known as ‘Japa’ in Nigeria, saying that it is a big loss for Nigeria and the African continent.

“We have over 465 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35,” he said, warning that Africa should not turn what should be its demographic asset into “somebody else’s problem” due to the inability to believe in young people and invest in their ideas for continental prosperity.

“I do not believe that the future of our young people lies in Europe; it doesn’t lie in America, it doesn’t lie in Canada, Japan or China; it should lie in Africa growing well, growing robustly and able to create quality jobs for our young people,” he said.

Adesina said Africa’s youth population was not a problem for the continent because India and China’s population has not been a problem for them. “It is what you do with your population; how you skill them up.”

The AfDB boss said if young people in Africa are skilled with good jobs and social protection, these would turn to prosperity for the continent because the demography has high purchasing power. He said in a world of rising tariffs, it is important for Africa to build consumption as part of its gross domestic product (GDP).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWfdsCBJLCQ?si=U_0p5MLCB2Q4-kap

‘Banking System Failed Youths’

The AfDB boss said the financial system in Africa was not designed to support young people on the continent.

“The whole of the (banking) system is not designed for young people. The commercial banking system and the financial system failed young people in Africa.

“We have over 465 million young people between the ages of 15 and 35. Where is the financial market for them? Why is it suddenly a surprise to us that they are leaving? It’s because you are not putting anything down for them.

“We must recognise that the young people are our biggest asset; the demographic asset has to become an economic asset and to do that, you have to put down capital.”

Adesina said to support young people in Africa, the AfDB created the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Bank to support their business plans and to address institutional failure around financing.

He said the AfDB just approved $100m to set up the Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank to “mobilise $2bn of investment for more than 38,000 businesses of young people in Africa”.

“You cannot turn your demographic asset into somebody else’s problem. We have to put our money behind our young people to create opportunities for them.

“They don’t need N5,000, N10,000. You want to create youth-based wealth. If you don’t, who are the people who will pay the taxes in the future? Where are you going to get the capital mobilisation in the future? You have to therefore invest in the same demographic so you can reap in the future,” he submitted.

Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2025/04/10/japa-youths-need-capitals-not-%E2%82%A610000-freebies-says-afdbs-adesina/

Sadly, the many young people in Nigeria today are obsessed with getting miserable peanuts and palliatives from politicians instead of advocating and fighting for good governance and democratic institutions.

..where is hellanuis & other stipend grabbers..who were chanting "on your mandate I stand" for a stipend to senselessness & self worthlessness..

..come abuse Adesina..

The Nigeria government is like that your neighbors dad that is a drunk and irresponsible. You can see the effect of the mans life on the children. His life style create extra burden for this kids.

In the final analysis

African and Nigerian leaders cause more headache for their citizens that Good.

we are better off without the government.

Bad news for Owo mi da propagators.

I have these area boys I see on my way to and from work. Able bodied boys. That's how they greet and hail because of the occasional freebies they get every now and then.

It's a pathetic situation out there.

.

Well said.

This is a good swipe at the Government that does out cash or money transfer or whatever they called it in the name of elections or Humanitarian Disaster Recovery they put us into.

The APC government today wants to enslave Nigerians so they can depend on them. That is why the other day someone said Professors should quickly get government appointment from Ibas even if it's illegal so they can cash out. He said they should take the opportunity when it comes to them. That's the immoral level APC has taken us to where you name the price and they will buy you.

It is so sad because before they came in, they advertised the best ideas. If only Nigerians knew they devil they knew in PDP was still better than these FAKE APC Angels.

APC has reduced governance to bambiala where you beg them for giving you money out of government wallet, your own money. Imagine a whole VP giving cash, Ministers giving cash. If PDP tried this before 2015, it would have been the scandal of the year they won't let us hear anything except kwaraption kwaraption kwaraption. Hypocrites

I appreciate the fact that he identify that young people don't really need those empowerment programs rather take the risk to invest in their skills and dreams they will deliver the best. Giving people money to go and start cottage businesses and the likes in an environment that does not allow them grow is a waste of money and time. Allow them to explore and develop their ideas and mind in a thriving area and the continent with be a hot cake for investors .

True talk. Truth is bitter ride on Sir.

Apc will not like this

But the mummified zombie here,love the stipend that the drug lord used to give them

Tell Seyi Tinubu

These Tinubu Boys Will Talk As If They Have Good Intentions

Agbadorians don't need capital. They only need small money to buy agbado while they continue shouting "on your mandate we stand"

Soro soke 🤔🤔🤔

If the youths are empowered with proper capital to start a viable business, who will be left to do agbero or snatch ballot boxes on election day or even do nairaland agbàdo bàstards for their political masters ? Adesina seems to be cut off from the reality of today's Nigeria as it concerns her political elite

All the money shared by Tinubu and Betta Edu, where is the result

Great100000:


Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2025/04/10/japa-youths-need-capitals-not-%E2%82%A610000-freebies-says-afdbs-adesina/

If not for the green bottles that they said was this man's problem, if Atiku, Obi support this man to conquer Tinubu, pass the bill for a one term rule under him to law which should just be 6 years and you're done, it would not have been a bad idea for him to be SDP candidate. After him Atiku, After Atiku Obi, and it goes on and on.. Sorry it is just permutations🙄

I hope that big belle boy sharing rice and beans claiming his daddy is the best ever and that people are comming after his family not appreciating the ewa, garri, dodo they are sharing can hear what adesina is saying.

I totally agree......



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I have no doubt that this brilliant young man has some Azikiwe gene in him.
An exceptional young man, doesn't think like the sophisticated ediots.
Was so easy for Jonathan to spot him.

Any day any time I give it to this man.

He's cut differently from the Ewedu munching b@boons.

Akinwumi Adesina,






involved all GOVERNMENT

Money for sweet

God bless him

I think the government should prioritize skills acquisition and technical skills training for youths in this country

XtraFortunes:
The evil APC has weaponized poverty and turned Nigerians to beggars.

That's the plan. When you are hungry, you have no honor. They want to make sure you are weak so that you will not oppose their tyranny. That's what the dictators have done in Africa, weaken you so that you thank them for giving you what is yours. Second slavery.

papyjaypaul:
This is a good swipe at the Government that does out cash or money transfer or whatever they called it in the name of elections or Humanitarian Disaster Recovery they put us into.

The APC government today wants to enslave Nigerians so they can depend on them. That is why the other day someone said Professors should quickly get government appointment from Ibas even if it's illegal so they can cash out. He said they should take the opportunity when it comes to them. That's the immoral level APC has taken us to where you name the price and they will buy you.

It is so sad because before they came in, they advertised the best ideas. If only Nigerians knew they devil they knew in PDP was still better than these FAKE APC Angels

Adesina is an IPOB, a wailer and a hater who is jealous of tinubu giant strides and monumental achievements as "builder and architect of modern lagos".

adesina is not a true omoluabi. he is pretending to be one. he is an omoale like obasanjo.

I am sure his mother is Igbo.

meanwhile....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYltMapDyIo&t=1s

FG giving out loans will go a long way in youth empowerment, but the problem is “many youths are bereft of ideas”. And what happens when you give a man who has no idea or plan capital, they’ll lavish it, they’ll see it as sudden wealth and sudden wealth can destroy lives.