Empowering Africa’s Youth:  APHRC on Mentorship and Connectivity for Africa’s Next Generation 

Digital Progress and Innovation Across Africa

Mveyange observed significant progress in digital innovation across the continent, driven by young entrepreneurs and startups creating solutions tailored to African realities. He highlighted Kigali as a regional innovation hub and cited examples such as Kenya’s M-PESA and AI-driven health applications in Nairobi that support neonatal care and blood pressure monitoring. These developments reflect both the appetite and capacity of Africa’s young population to innovate in sectors ranging from healthcare to finance. 

Challenges in Digital Inclusion

Despite advances, Mveyange identified several barriers, particularly for young people and women. Mentorship remains limited, leaving many youth excluded from participating in digital transformation. Technology access is uneven, with urban areas benefiting more than rural regions. High costs of Internet services and digital taxes further restrict participation, while rural areas continue to face gaps in connectivity and affordability. Mveyange stressed the need to address both the “usage gap” and the connectivity gap to ensure no one is left behind.

Sustaining Empowerment Through Contextual Solutions

Mveyange emphasized that digital inclusion is not only about access but also about sustaining usage. Using the example of electricity subsidies in Kenya, he explained that connectivity alone does not guarantee adoption or impact. He argued that solutions must reflect African realities, be affordable, adaptable, and co-created with communities to ensure long-term benefits.

Applications in Agriculture and Rural Economies

Mveyange highlighted the transformative potential of connectivity in agriculture and rural economies. Digital platforms and AI technologies can improve yield management, optimize resource use, and strengthen non-farm rural economies. By empowering rural youth, digital tools can increase income, create opportunities, and drive economic transformation across sub-Saharan Africa.

“Now, what we are seeing consistently across sub-Saharan Africa now is that the young people in urban areas are slowly migrating back to rural areas. And when they go there, they are transforming rural economies. They are introducing what we call a non-farm rural economy where these mobile money services are now being transferred into rural areas to help families to earn more. And on average, wage and incomes in the rural areas are actually increasing relative to urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Now, all of these innovations, I’ve given an example of the agricultural sector, but they could apply in many sectors. All of these innovations, what you need to empower, it’s not about only accessing. Make it affordable. Make it a reality. Grounded on African reality, the needs of the people. From Africa to Africa”

– Antony Mveyange, Director of Programmes, African Population Health Research Centre (APHRC)

Data-Driven Collaboration and Partnerships

He underscored the importance of collaboration between research institutions, governments, private sector players, and NGOs to translate evidence into impactful policies. APHRC works with GSMA, Pan-African Parliament, UN bodies, and regional entities to generate data that informs policies while ensuring interventions reach communities effectively. Mveyange emphasized that digital empowerment is an end-to-end process requiring coordinated action across all stakeholders.

Youth as Africa’s Digital Hope

Mveyange concluded with a focus on young people as the continent’s greatest asset. He stressed the need for mentorship, enabling environments, and decision-making opportunities for youth. “They just need to be empowered, entrusted, and given the threat of their future to decide where they are going,” he said. By supporting young innovators, Africa can harness its demographic dividend and retain talent that might otherwise be lost to migration.