The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has commended young people across Africa for their resilience while calling for stronger measures to address unemployment and improve access to decent work.
In a statement to mark the 2026 International Youth Day, ITUC-Africa General Secretary, Comrade Joel Odigie, said Africa was rich in resources, yet its increasingly educated and connected young population remained largely excluded from decent work and social protection.
Odigie said Africa was the world’s youngest continent, with about 60 per cent of its population below the age of 25.
He, however, noted that despite the continent’s youthful population, 55.6 million young people in sub-Saharan Africa were not in employment, education or training in 2025, a figure projected to rise to 58.9 million by 2027.
“Development plans, employment policies and youth strategies need to be formulated across African economies, with genuine, collaborative and inclusive plans steeped in adequate financing and accountability for effective implementation,” he said.
Odigie said failures in these areas partly accounted for the desperate and dangerous migration journeys many African youths were forced to undertake across deserts and seas.
He stressed that migration must be a choice, rather than an escape from unemployment.
According to the ITUC Africa General Secretary, young migrant workers deserved equal treatment, decent wages, social protection and freedom of association.
He said growing disenchantment among young Africans also reflected democracies that held elections but failed to deliver economic justice.
“Meanwhile, four African billionaires hold more wealth than 750 million Africans combined, while the continent loses an estimated 88.6 billion US dollars annually through illicit financial flows. “Africa’s resources must serve its people,” he said.
ITUC-Africa called on African governments to translate young people’s aspirations into adequately funded employment programmes, fair taxation, employment-intensive industrialisation, skills development, public services and social protection.
The organisation also called for the ratification and implementation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 193 to promote decent work and collective bargaining in the platform economy.
“Trade unions must move from lamentation to action. We commit to organising young workers across formal, informal, migrant and platform economies, strengthening their representation and holding governments accountable,” Odigie said.
He noted that different contexts required urgent, responsive and pragmatic solutions, adding that the common aspiration was to build an Africa where every young person could work and live in dignity.
“We are committed to working with progressive governments, stakeholders and our youth in pursuing and realising this vision,” he said.
ITUC-Africa said it was joining the rest of the world in celebrating young people as part of activities marking the 2026 International Youth Day.
The theme for this year’s International Youth Day is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”.
