Lord Paul Boateng, Member of the United Kingdom House of Lords, has urged African governments to prioritise youth in national policymaking.
Speaking at the KPMG 2026 Post-Budget Forum on Monday, November 17, themed “Resetting for Growth, Jobs and Economic Transformation,” he highlighted the need for strong collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive economic growth.
“The private and public sectors have to work effectively together. We must tackle issues of procurement and remove the obstacles to doing business. Our role as government is not to do everything, but to create an enabling environment that unlocks the natural enterprise within our people,” Lord Boateng said.
He stressed that young people must be placed at the centre of policy formulation, describing the youth as “the future.” According to him, building their skills is not enough; policies must also create employment opportunities and support entrepreneurial initiatives.
“We need to put the youth at the heart of our policymaking. That means we don’t just build their capacity but also provide them with employment and support their initiatives,” he added.
