AfYEF Declares 2026 Year of Building Systems and Structures That Last
The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs’ Federation (AfYEF) has declared 2026 as the “Year of Building Systems and Structures That Last,” urging African youth to shift from ideas and slogans to practical execution that delivers sustainable jobs, skills and economic opportunities.
The declaration was made in a New Year message issued in Accra on Monday, calling on young people across the continent to take ownership of Africa’s development by building institutions and systems that translate ambition into measurable impact.
President of AfYEF, Mr. Hissan Siita Sofo, said Africa’s development challenge is no longer a lack of ideas but the absence of effective systems capable of protecting innovation, enabling scale and sustaining long-term results.
“Africa does not lack ideas or ambition. What we lack are systems that protect real work, enable scale, and deliver lasting impact. 2026 must be the year we move from slogans to structures, and from potential to performance,” he stated.
Mr. Siita Sofo noted that five years after the commencement of structured trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), youth participation remains limited due to weak institutional linkages between policy and opportunity.
According to him, without functional systems on the ground, youth potential will continue to be trapped in promises, stressing that jobs, skills development and enterprise growth cannot be achieved through frameworks alone.
As host country of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana was urged to continue leading by example by strengthening institutions that support youth development, skills formation and job creation, both nationally and as a continental model.
AfYEF also commended the leadership of the AfCFTA Secretariat under Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, while emphasizing that the true test of continental integration must be reflected in tangible outcomes for young Africans.
Referencing the 2026 State of the Nation Address, Mr. Siita Sofo recalled President John Dramani Mahama’s call on young people to take ownership of the national reset agenda, describing it as a call for youth to build opportunities themselves rather than wait for them.
Transforming Legacy into Opportunity
As part of its 2026 execution agenda, AfYEF announced the advancement of presidential legacy institutions as youth transformation platforms, in partnership with the Continental Legacy Development Company (CLDC).
The initiatives include the John Dramani Mahama Presidential Library and Legacy Centre in Northern Ghana and the John Agyekum Kufuor Presidential Library and Legacy Centre in Southern Ghana.
AfYEF explained that the centres are not symbolic monuments but continental prototypes designed to drive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), skills development, civic leadership, innovation and enterprise.
“Africa’s youth do not need more motivation; they need infrastructure. These platforms are being designed to endure, to scale, and to serve communities long after their launch,” Mr. Siita Sofo added.
Call to Action
AfYEF called on governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society to collaborate in building systems that will deliver lasting impact for current and future generations.
“The agenda is set. The need is urgent. The power is in our hands. Let 2026 be the year we lay foundations that last,” the statement concluded.
