The Regional Director of the Ford Foundation West Africa has urged African youth to position themselves strategically in the global push for climate finance by leveraging the continent’s abundant resources and improving their visibility to funders.

Dr Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, speaking during a panel session on Unlocking Climate and Green Finance for Youth-Led Solutions at the African Youth Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Governance, said Africa holds both the problem and the solution to the global climate crisis.

“The biggest opportunity is the fact that we can’t be ignored. Young people in Africa can’t be ignored. Africa is uniquely positioned because it holds fossil fuels, critical green minerals and forests such as in the Niger Delta and Congo Basin with great potential as natural carbon sinks. The solutions are here, and young people need to tap into them,” she said.

While highlighting these opportunities, Dr Aniagolu-Okoye also cautioned that access to funding requires preparation and strategy.

Many youth-led organisations, she noted, miss out on opportunities because they fail to research potential funders or align proposals with donors’ priorities.

She further noted that “visibility, credibility, and persistence are key to unlocking climate and green finance for youth-led solutions.”

Dr Aniagolu-Okoye advised young organisations to build capacity gradually, starting with small grants before approaching larger funders, while maintaining strong governance, accurate financial records, and compelling impact stories.

She also encouraged a shift from over-reliance on international donors, pointing to diaspora networks, high-net-worth Africans, and community-based supporters as viable sources of sustainable financing.

“When people feel emotionally connected to your work, they will support it, sometimes even more strongly than institutional donors,” she added.

The African Youth Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Governance, organised by the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) Ghana, brought together young leaders, policymakers, and development partners across Africa to shape conversations on natural resources and environmental governance.

Through initiatives like capacity-building workshops, policy advocacy, and youth empowerment programs, SYND Ghana equips emerging leaders with the skills and platforms they need to influence decision-making and drive sustainable change across Africa.