Participants at the 2026 United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) side event in New York, United States. Credit: Advancing Youth Voice Initiative
The Advancing Youth Voice Initiative, a nonprofit organisation empowering young people to serve their communities, has called for stronger investment in African youth leadership as part of efforts toward the continent’s development.
AYVI, in a press statement made available to The PUNCH ahead of its 2026 United Nations High-Level Political Forum side event in New York, United States, said it would rally governments, development partners, and private investors to commit more re
The organisation said the event, tagged “The Global Youth Forum” and scheduled for July 13, would introduce the AYVI Network and formally launch the African Youth Leadership Fund, a financing mechanism designed to address the chronic funding gap confronting youth-led organisations on the continent.
Speaking ahead of the event, AYVI Network Founder, Carolyn Wokoh, said Africa’s future depends on whether institutions are prepared to invest in the leadership potential of its young population.
She said that although young Africans continue to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement, many youth-focused initiatives struggle to scale due to inadequate access to long-term institutional funding.
“The future of Africa will not be written for young people; it will be written with them. When youth, policymakers, investors, foundations, and communities unite around a common purpose, transformation becomes inevitable,” she said.
She added, “The question is no longer whether young people are ready to lead. The question is whether our institutions, investments, and policies are ready to trust them. At AYVI, we believe the answer must be yes.”
Wokoh further noted that Africa’s greatest rets young people
“Africa’s greatest natural re resilience of its youth,” she said
Addressing questions on funding and governance, Wokoh said the structure exists to give donors and partners full assurance that every reing, infrastructure, and measurable youth development outcomes, and not personal gain
The press kit disclosed that the forum, themed “Unlocking Africa’s Potential Through Youth Leadership, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships,” will serve as a platform for policymakers, investors, development institutions, and private sector leaders to explore new financing models capable of supporting youth-led development beyond traditional short-term grants.
It noted that the initiative would also formally unveil the AYVI Network, a pan-African platform connecting young leaders, organisations, and changemakers across the continent to promote collaboration, re
Speakers listed for the event include the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Prof Odunayo Adebooye; the Chairman of the International Airlines Association of Nigeria, Damilola Ogunseye; AI strategist and youth advocate, Hugh Anetoh; and development strategist and SDG consultant, Ebaide Omiunu.
Others are the Founder of Coral Reef Africa, Richard Osei-Anim; the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Strategic Management, Faris Alami, who also founded the nonprofit Connecting Dots Globally; the Director of the Global Affairs and Sustainable Development Institute, Prof. John Agbonifo; the co-founder of Uplift Communities, Achumboro Ataande; and Daniel Black, Founder of GSAI.
The Global Youth Forum will feature panel discussions on digital innovation for Africa’s economic transformation, youth-led solutions for sustainable development, and strategic partnerships for inclusive growth, among other activities.
Johnson Idowu is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over four years of experience covering politics, education, metro, and environment. He specializes in producing insightful and well-researched reports that inform and engage readers. Johnson’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, audience-focused journalism.
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