The President of the Africa Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASENTI), Calvin Jodisi, has urged young Africans to lead the continent’s economic transformation through innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Speaking to the media after the opening of the summit in Kigali, Jodisi said Africa’s future prosperity depends on how effectively its youth turn ideas into businesses that create jobs and drive growth. “The Africa Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation was started ten years ago to promote entrepreneurship across Africa,” Jodisi said. “We’ve hosted the conference in Keny

The President of the Africa Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ASENTI), Calvin Jodisi, has urged young Africans to lead the continent’s economic transformation through innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Speaking to the media after the opening of the summit in Kigali, Jodisi said Africa’s future prosperity depends on how effectively its youth turn ideas into businesses that create jobs and drive growth. “The Africa Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation was started ten years ago to promote entrepreneurship across Africa,” Jodisi said. “We’ve hosted the conference in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, and Ghana to encourage young people to embrace entrepreneurship and build stronger economies.” The two-day summit, which began on November 13, brought together more than 200 delegates from across the continent, including entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers, and investors. Discussions focused on sectors such as education, fintech, agritech, digital economy, women in technology, and health tech under the theme “Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Reimagining Africa’s Entrepreneurship.” Jodisi noted that one of the major challenges facing young entrepreneurs is limited access to skills and practical knowledge, which are just as essential as financial support. To strengthen mentorship and follow-up, he said this year’s summit includes a pitching session where ten young entrepreneurs will present their business ideas to potential investors after undergoing intensive training. “We need more young people creating businesses,” Jodisi said. “The only way we can grow our continent is by having innovative Africans who can build the next big companies — the Teslas or Amazons of Africa.” Former South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana, emphasized that Africa’s youthful population is its greatest opportunity, not a burden. “Our young people are not a problem to solve; they are our greatest asset,” Manana said. “Education must evolve from producing job seekers to nurturing job creators.” He called for entrepreneurship and innovation to be integrated into all levels of education, transforming classrooms into spaces of creation and problem-solving. Esther Kunda, Director General of Innovation and Emerging Technologies at Rwanda’s Ministry of ICT and Innovation, encouraged African entrepreneurs to drive sustainable development through technology and collaboration. “As we look toward a sustainable future, we must reimagine Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and ensure innovation creates meaningful impact,” Kunda said. She commended the summit organizers and partners for empowering startups across the continent and highlighted Rwanda’s Hanga Program, which promotes entrepreneurship nationwide. “Through Hanga, we celebrate entrepreneurs and promote innovation not just in cities but also in rural communities,” she added. “When you support an entrepreneur, you create jobs and talent that fuel business growth — it becomes a positive cycle of innovation and opportunity.”

Discussions focused on sectors such as education, fintech, agritech, digital economy, women in technology, and health tech under the theme “Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Reimagining Africa’s Entrepreneurship.”

Former South African Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mduduzi Manana

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