SYPALA 2026: ‘We talk about GDP as if we eat it’ – Senyo Hosi
Founder and Executive Chairman of Kleeve and Tove Ltd, Senyo Hosi, has warned that Africa cannot achieve meaningful economic transformation if its economies continue to record growth without creating enough jobs for young people.
Senyo Hosi, the founder and executive chairman of Kleeve and Tove Ltd, has cautioned that Africa cannot achieve significant economic growth without generating sufficient employment opportunities for its young population. At the Students & Young Professionals Africa Liberty Academy (SYPALA) 2026 conference, Hosi argued that African nations must shift their focus from merely tracking GDP growth to prioritizing production, entrepreneurship, productivity, and job creation.
He stressed that GDP should not be treated as if it were food, emphasizing that the continent cannot continue to grow without creating jobs. Hosi warned that Africa's expanding youth demographic could become a serious economic risk if governments do not produce enough jobs to match the workforce. He further cautioned that the lack of economic opportunities is already prompting some young people to view political connections as a pathway to employment.
Hosi emphasized that the crisis is not merely about unemployment but a broader issue of inadequate production and scale, highlighting that it is not enough for young people to be busy; they must be productively employed and connected to pathways for increasing income. He criticized the tendency to label every small business owner as an entrepreneur without assessing whether these enterprises have the potential to scale and create jobs.
Ghana, Hosi noted, exemplifies this broader African challenge, with a limited number of firms capable of generating substantial employment and contributing to the economy's value. He identified structural barriers such as limited industrial production, insufficient access to capital, and obstacles that prevent small businesses from expanding into larger employers.
Hosi urged governments to view youth employment as a central component of macroeconomic stability, social cohesion, democratic legitimacy, and national security, rather than a separate issue. He also called on businesses to assume greater responsibility, urging the private sector to view its activities not just as profit-driven but as public goods, contributing to societal well-being through problem-solving, risk-taking, employment creation, and skill development.
Hosi challenged African businesses to elevate their ambitions beyond mere survival, advocating for a shift from trading to production, import dependence to value addition, and isolated markets to continental competitiveness. He argued that this transformation requires stronger business-government collaboration and supportive public policies enabling enterprises to scale.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
