3i Africa Summit 26: Unlocking Youth Employment Through Skills, Scale, and Systemic Change

In this live conversation from the 3i Africa event in Accra, Ghana, host Matteo Rizzi speaks with Rosy Fynn, Country Director for Nigeria at the Mastercard Foundation. Rosy shares her career journey from telecoms in Ghana to global development leadership, including her work across multiple roles within the foundation. The discussion centers on the Mastercard Foundation’s ambitious goal of enabling 30 million young Africans to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. Rosy explains that capacity building is not one-dimensional, ranging from agricultural training for rural communities to digital skills for urban gig workers, depending on context and need. The conversation highlights Africa’s youth employment challenge, the mismatch between education and labor market needs, and the importance of entrepreneurship as a viable pathway. Rosy also emphasizes the role of private sector partnerships, digital infrastructure, and targeted skilling programs in addressing systemic unemployment, alongside initiatives such as scholarships and inclusive talent identification programs that reach underserved communities.