Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programs for Unemployed Youth in Africa: A Second Look

Youth unemployment in Africa has reached alarming proportions. Since most African countries gained political independence, there has been increased population growth, rapid expansion of the education systems, high levels of rural-urban migration, political conflicts, and worsening economic performance (Ndegwa 1985; World Bank 1988). These factors have led to the problem of unemployment especially among youth leaving various educational institutions. The African governments' efforts to solve the youth unemployment problem have included the vocationalizing of education systems (UNESCO 1984). Despite this vocationalization, unemployment persists even among those with technical skills. This has led to the introduction of Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programs (ESDP) in countries like Gambia and Nigeria in West Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe in Central Africa, Swaziland in Southern Africa, and Uganda and Kenya in East Africa. The belief in these countries is that the unemployment problem can be solved by promoting small business enterprises. For these enterprises to be started and sustained, people with entrepreneurial skills are needed. ESDP has been defined by Rao (1991) as any comprehensively planned effort undertaken by an individual, a group of individuals, or any institution or agency to develop competencies in people. Competencies are intended to lead to self-employment, economic self sufficiency, and employment generation through long-term education or short-term training. This article examines several existing ESDPs in selected African countries. The entrepreneurial programs examined in this article were established to develop a range of technical, behavioral, managerial, and enterprise-building skills, leading to small business development and resource generation among youths. Pertinent questions regarding why entrepreneurship is seen as the solution to the youth unemployment problem in Africa are raised. Issues necessary to promoting entrepreneurial skills in Africa are discussed. Existing ESDPs in Several African Countries The formal employment sector in Gambia, as in other African countries, is unable to absorb the youth from school. The Gambian Technical Training Institute was established to prepare candidates for mid-level employment, mainly technicians (N'jie 1991). To encourage entrepreneurs, in 1976 the Gambian government established the Business Advisory Service to provide expert advice to potential entrepreneurs with technical skills. In addition, the Rural Vocational Program targets school dropouts, illiterate artisans, and the rural poor. Operated at the village level, the training is supported by extension services for agriculture, animal husbandry, health, hygiene, and functional literacy. Nigeria has the largest population in Africa (about 100 million people). Approximately 10.24 million people work in the informal sector as owners of small businesses (Rao 1991). Organized entrepreneurship development activity started in Nigeria with the establishment of the Industrial Development Center (IDC) in Owerri. By 1991, 16 IDCs had been established. ESDPs in Nigeria were designed to answer a strong need to stimulate new ventures and to provide sufficient motivational force to improve the existing situation (Tunde 1991). They were also intended to give the recipients the ability to face and take risks and to turn their business ideas into feasible business ventures. In Malawi there are several governmental agencies involved in supporting entrepreneurship and self-employment generation activities (Mbanda 1991): The Small Enterprise Development Organization of Malawi provides financing to motivated entrepreneurs; development activities of the Malawian Traders Trust provide advisory services to traders; Malawi Polytechnic provides technical and vocational training; the Chifukuko Cha Amayi M'malawi, a non-governmental organization, provides advice to women on how to start income-generating activities; and the Malawian Entrepreneurs Development Institute conducts courses and seminars for beginning entrepreneurs, established entrepreneurs, and those who neither posses technical nor entrepreneurial skills. …