The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Ayariga, has identified unemployability—not unemployment—as the central challenge facing young people across Africa.

Speaking at the Continental Youth Symposium in Morocco, he said many young Africans are educated but lack relevant job-market skills.

“The challenge is not simply unemployment — it is unemployability,” he stated.

He explained that although many young people possess formal qualifications, they often lack the competencies required by employers and evolving markets.

Mr Ayariga outlined what he described as a “three-part problem” contributing to the crisis.

These include “skills gap—training that does not match market needs; capacity gap—insufficient human and adaptive skills to navigate change; and leadership gap—limited youth participation in policy and programme design.”

He stressed that tackling these issues in isolation would be ineffective.

“Addressing any one of these in isolation will not be enough. We must tackle all three together,” he said, calling for integrated policy responses across education, labour, and governance systems.

The NYA CEO further advocated for stronger youth inclusion in decision-making processes. “Youth leadership must be foundational and not optional,” he emphasised, adding that when young people are engaged as co-creators, policies become more relevant and impactful.