Support

Where Voices Converge to Shape Destiny

The Step Up Youth Initiative is proud to serve as a strategic co-convener for the African Youth SDGs Summit. We view this summit not merely as a conference, but as the ultimate expression of Civic Responsibility (Bulungibwansi) —a space where young people step up to proactively shape the continent’s development agenda.

It is a market of ideas and a tribunal of accountability. Inaugurated in 2017 in Accra – Ghana, this annual summit has been held in different other Africa capitals such as Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, and Lusaka, Zambia bringing together youth leaders, government officials, development partners, and civil society from across the continent to have honest, difficult, and necessary conversations.

  • The Mission: To move beyond rhetoric and strictly track the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063. We demand Integrity (Obwesimbu) from our leaders, ensuring that global promises are kept at the local level.

  • Our Role: The Step Up Youth Initiative plays a leading role in mobilizing youth voices and curating evidence-based panels. We ensure that the resolutions made at the summit do not stay on paper but are translated into tangible policy actions and economic shifts back home.

Join Us for the 6th Edition !

Reimagining Africa Through Youth-Driven Solutions.

Accra, Ghana.
Some of the Participants at the African Youth SDGs Summit

 

The African Youth SDGs Summit is back, and the Step Up Youth Initiative is thrilled to be a part of this continental movement! This summit is more than a conference; it’s the largest pan-African forum dedicated to connecting young leaders to global development agendas, transforming dialogue into real-world action.

Why This Summit Matters: Our ObuntuBulamu in Action
The summit perfectly aligns with our ObuntuBulamu philosophy, which emphasizes shared responsibility and proactive leadership. As young people are a major force for implementing the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, the summit empowers them as key agents for social change, economic growth, and technological innovation.

Empowering Youth to Drive Jobs, Innovation, and Policy for Africa’s Sustainable Future.

What We Will Achieve Together. 
This continental event will bring together participants from all over Africa to share insights, exchange knowledge, and create collaborative solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063.
The forum is anchored on four primary objectives:

  • Accelerating Youth-Led Entrepreneurship: We provide a dynamic platform for young innovators to showcase scalable solutions, access resources, and engage with stakeholders to drive job creation and economic transformation.
  • Influencing Policy for Inclusion: We aim to shape regional and continental policy frameworks that prioritize youth participation, innovation, and leadership in sustainable development agendas.
  • Fostering Intergenerational Collaboration: We promote inclusive dialogue between youth and older generations to bridge knowledge gaps and co-create solutions.
  • Strengthening Networks and Scaling Impact: The summit facilitates strategic partnerships by synthesizing country-level insights and showcasing success stories to inspire actionable solutions for employment challenges.

 Five Critical Conversations.

The summit is structured around five critical areas that define Africa’s future, ensuring meaningful engagement and problem-solving:

  • Igniting Innovation in a Digital Era: Catalysing digital entrepreneurship, AI, fintech, and e-commerce to fuel job creation, turning Africa’s tech-savvy generation into creators of digital jobs and scalable start-ups.
  • Youth Rising: Leading Change, Shaping Africa: Empowering young people to take up governance roles, civic action, and leadership—not just as voters, but as decision-makers and policy advocates.
  • Empowering Youth to Power Africa’s Green Future: Transforming climate challenges into green job opportunities by empowering youth to lead in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and conservation.
  • Advancing Youth Employment and Economic Inclusion: Championing inclusive economic systems that invest in skills, support youth-led enterprises, and dismantle structural barriers to decent work.
  • Advancing Gender Equality Through Recognition of Unpaid Care Work: Spotlighting the critical role of unpaid care work, calling for investment in care systems, and empowering young women through economic opportunities.

Common Questions

Your questions about the 6th African Youth SDGs Summit answered here.

More than a thousand change-makers, activists, policymakers, and development partners are expected to join the 6th African Youth SDGs Summit: experts to learn from, leaders to connect with, activists to network with, and innovators to act with.

This year, there are two options for registration. In addition to a brand-new virtual option, to provide opportunities for participation to young people all across Africa and around the world, we will also be organizing a limited, in-person gathering in Acra, Ghana. Please note that in-person participation in the Summit is limited to a small number of people and participants will thus be considered first-come-first-serve.

23-27 February, 2026.

Hybrid (Virtual + Physical)

Accra, Ghana

Early Registration

The cost of early registration for International participants is $100.00 (Ghana Cedis equivalent: GHS 1,100).
 
The standard registration fee is $150.00 (Ghana Cedis equivalent: GHS 1, 650). The deadline for early registration is 30th November, 2025. 
 
Registration covers participation and access to all sessions during the summit, meals and summit materials.Please note that registration fee does not include travel, accommodation and any other travel expenses.

Early Registration

Registration is free for all domestic/local delegates.

 Ghana Delegates Registration

The Summit will use an inclusive, youth-centered methodology combining participatory dialogue, skills-building, and multi-stakeholder engagement.

We are bringing together a powerful mix of participants: government officials, private sector leaders, international youth leaders, and young entrepreneurs, with an indicative target of approximately 1,000 participants.

We invite you to be a part of this transformative event!

Explore the Summit Dedicated Website HERE

Share this: