Innovation is increasingly being recognised as a critical driver of resilient development across Africa. With the continent facing rapid urbanisation, rising youth unemployment, climate pressures, and persistent infrastructure gaps, experts say traditional development models are no longer adequate.

Many African countries are now turning toward innovation-driven systems as global competition intensifies and technology reshapes economies.

It is against this backdrop that the 2025 Innovation Forum, hosted by the Certified Innovation Professionals Association (CIPA) at NIBS University in Accra, convened academics, students, industry players, and policy actors to discuss practical ways African countries can accelerate innovation for sustainable development.

The forum, held under the theme “Sustainability Through Innovation: Building Resilient Systems for Tomorrow”, sought to equip young professionals with the skills, mindset, and tools needed to address the continent’s most urgent challenges through creativity and strategic thinking.

Speaking to JoyNews, Dr Evans Duah, Head of International Relations at AAMUSTED, emphasised that Africa’s transformation depends largely on young people shifting from passive complaint to active problem-solving.

He encouraged them to identify local problems such as waste management, food insecurity, energy access, and housing and design practical solutions capable of scaling across communities.

CIPA President, Dr Richard Ampofo Boadu, highlighted the association’s growing role in Ghana’s innovation space.

He explained that the Certified Innovation Professional programme equips participants with structured innovation tools, design thinking skills, and practical frameworks that organisations can use to strengthen their processes.

According to him, the programme attracts people from diverse fields, reflecting Ghana’s increasing interest in building a more innovation-aware professional culture.

The forum also marked the graduation and induction of 14 students from Cohort 15 as new CIPA members. One of the inductees shared his aspiration to transfer knowledge to younger generations, especially on the future of business, global competitiveness, and creating sustainable systems that prepare graduates for an evolving job market.

Organisers say the forum forms part of broader efforts to strengthen an innovation-driven ecosystem in Ghana at a time when the continent is pushing for digital transformation, industrialisation, and green growth.

They are calling on young professionals, businesses, and institutions to adopt practical, locally relevant, and sustainable solutions that can drive long-term development across Africa.