MFA, Global Shapers Host Youth Roundtable on AfCFTA Ahead of WAES 2025

MFA, Global Shapers Host Youth Roundtable on AfCFTA Ahead of WAES 2025

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Abuja and Lagos Global Shapers Hubs—youth initiatives of the World Economic Forum—successfully hosted the West Africa Youth Futures Roundtable on Friday.

The event, held at the Rotunda Hall of the Ministry and streamed virtually across Anglophone and Francophone West Africa, brought together over 100 young leaders and innovators from across the region.

The roundtable with the theme: “AfCFTA and Youth-Led Innovation: Breaking Market Barriers,” served as a strategic prelude to the upcoming West Africa Economic Summit (WAES 2025).

It provided a platform for youth to engage on how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can be harnessed to drive regional integration, innovation, and inclusive economic development.

Discussions focused on three critical areas which includes; access to capital and scale for MSMEs, cross-border trade and digital platforms and Innovation ecosystems for youth employment.

Also, participants engaged with policy-shaping questions such as; what financing innovations are needed to reach youth-led MSMEs beyond urban centers?,

how can digital platforms reduce trade friction and foster regional inclusion under AfCFTA? and what models of innovation ecosystems best support youth employment and entrepreneurship?

Goodwill messages from the Ministry emphasized the centrality of youth in shaping the region’s economic future. Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Simi Fajemirokun, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to trade diplomacy that enables youth participation and MSME growth.

Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Ambassador Oluremi, stressed the importance of innovation as a tool for regional competitiveness and job creation.

The roundtable featured expert contributions from a distinguished panel of West African thought leaders and practitioners, including innovators, economists, digital strategists, and youth advocates.

Closing reflections highlighted the need for stronger public-private collaboration, policy harmonization across borders, and an inclusive approach to AfCFTA that acknowledges informal entrepreneurs and rural innovators.

As part of the WAES 2025 build-up, the roundtable affirmed the role of young West Africans as essential contributors to regional economic strategy. Participants were invited to co-develop youth-led trade policy recommendations for submission to WAES leaders.