Saying YES! to a Bright Future for African Energy
Guiding the next generation to generate their own visions for a more sustainable world
The Youth Energy Summit (YES!) is returning for its second edition at this summer’s Africa Energy Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, as it looks to build on the platform established last year to boost skills, connections and the business readiness of future energy leaders.
The inaugural YES! gathering in Brussels in 2022 emphasised the significance of early career professionals, entrepreneurs, students and educators in accelerating access to reliable energy across Africa. This year, thanks to a growing list of key partnerships across corporates, foundations, NGOs, universities and sector initiatives, YES! will be showcasing its credentials on home soil.
YES! Connect
Attendees at this year’s forum will join sessions that explore their perceptions of the future, how they can reach their potential, how they can fill skills shortages in the energy sector, and what they’re looking for in terms of guidance from educators and professionals.
In addition, the event has also set up a new, adjoining platform called YES! Connect. The free-to-access digital platform will give thousands a central space to connect and access news during the four-day gathering.
However, beyond that, the platform will also serve as a portal for year-round industry news, to discover job opportunities, to engage with regular courses and workshops, and to continue networking beyond the event itself. YES! Connect will ensure a longer-term space for hundreds of students, entrepreneurs and young professionals to build on the visions put forward during the four-day gathering.
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Abundant potential
The importance of networking and ongoing collaboration also extends to the partnerships involved with YES! Among an ever-growing list of partner organisations is the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) who join in 2023 as the event’s first foundational partner.
The GEAPP is an alliance of philanthropists, local entrepreneurs, governments, technology enablers, policymakers and finance partners, supporting developing countries’ shifts to a clean energy, pro-growth model that ensures universal energy access as well as economic development. Its aim to reduce four gigatons of future carbon emissions, expand clean energy access to one billion people, and enable 150 million new jobs aligns with the goals of the Africa Energy Forum and YES!.
“GEAPP is thrilled to be joining as a foundational partner for the Youth Energy Summit,” says Joseph Nganga, GEAPP’s VP for Africa. “Young entrepreneurs are often excluded from all aspects of the energy transition value chain, and they face disproportionate barriers to educational opportunities, project finance, and decent jobs.”
He adds: “It is urgent that young people are trained and supported now to access opportunities and accelerate growth. It’s vital to unlock the abundant potential of young entrepreneurs who will lead the energy transition and realise a more equal and sustainable world.”
World’s largest network
YES! has a goal of reaching 100 million people across Africa over the next 10 years through its network-based approach to upskilling and industry progression.
Simon Gosling, Managing Director, EnergyNet, confirms how the young YES! community present in Nairobi this summer can make vital long-term connections and breakthroughs: “It is no longer helpful to state that 600 million Africans lack access to energy as a statistic of relevance, without addressing the fact that this number is only getting larger as population growth continues its war against energy access.
“By building an all-of-sector alliance to establish the world’s largest network of potential African energy developers, entrepreneurs and MSMEs, YES! will speed up the pace of energy access for millions more people across the continent.”
Shaping Africa’s Energy Transition
“I believe the role that the next generation will play in solving Africa's energy challenges is both pivotal and transformative. As the continent stands at the crossroads of progress and sustainability, the continent’s youth hold the key to unlocking a future powered by competitively priced and reliable sustainable energy, innovation, and inclusive growth.
There couldn’t be a more opportune time to hand over the baton to a generation that is characterised by boundless energy, a thirst for knowledge, and an eagerness to drive change. The onus is on us to challenge traditional practices and to advocate for sustainable solutions towards a resilient continent where energy is a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive growth.
Sectoral convergence forums such as YES! and the Africa Energy Forum play a crucial role in promoting skills and guiding individuals towards a shared vision for the energy sector. They have been transformative and career-defining for me, and will continue to help refine the skills required among those who will shape Africa's sustainable energy transition.”
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Zeddy Bariti, Public Relations Communications Specialist Public Relations, Republic of Kenya Communications Specialist Ministry of East African Community, the ASALs & Regional Development – Kenya The Power Dialogue, Republic of Kenya
