“Sierra Leone’s Youthquake: Turning a Young Nation into an Economic Powerhouse”
By Bailor Amid Saheed Kamara
Sierra Leone is standing on the edge of history, and the ground beneath us is shaking—not from crisis, but from potential. More than 70% of our people are under 35. Our median age is just 19. In a world where many nations are worrying about an aging population, we have something they desperately want—youth.
But here’s the catch: having the youngest population in the world means nothing if we don’t give them the skills, jobs, and opportunities to thrive. This is our “youthquake,” and it can either build the foundations of prosperity or shatter into wasted potential.
Globally, economies are slowing as populations get older. We have the opposite problem—and the opposite opportunity. According to the International Labour Organization, every 1% increase in youth employment in countries like ours can push GDP up by 0.3% to 0.4%. With 800,000 young people expected to enter Sierra Leone’s job market by 2030, the economic stakes are monumental.
Imagine what we could achieve if we invested in their skills. The future is digital, green, and driven by innovation, yet only 12% of Sierra Leone’s youth are enrolled in tertiary education, and fewer than one in five have access to formal digital training. That’s not a gap—it’s a gaping hole in our national strategy. Rolling out technical and vocational training in coding, renewable energy, and climate-smart agriculture could see productivity in key sectors jump by as much as 15% by the end of the decade.
Jobs remain the most urgent need. Youth unemployment hovers above 60%, with most young people hustling in informal or subsistence work. If we cut that by just 10%, we could pump NLe 1.2 billion into our economy every year. That’s why expanding youth enterprise funds, startup hubs, and rural innovation programs—especially for young women—should be a national priority.
But opportunity isn’t just about economics. Without access to healthcare, mental health support, safe housing, and social protection, young people can’t fully contribute. A strong social safety net could slash youth vulnerability by nearly a third, making our communities healthier, more resilient, and more productive.
We also need our youth in the driver’s seat of decision-making. Trust in political institutions is low—just 25% of young Sierra Leoneans believe in the strength of our democracy. Giving them a real seat at the table, lowering the age to run for office, and embedding youth priorities in national budgets would do more than empower individuals—it would secure the nation’s future.
We’ve already seen what’s possible. In 2024, a joint Ministry of Youth Affairs and UNDP program trained 350 young people in solar panel installation. Within nine months, 67% were employed or running their own businesses, local electricity access had improved, and carbon emissions had dropped. That’s the power of targeted investment—one that benefits both the economy and the environment.
Sierra Leone’s young people are ready. They are not a time bomb waiting to explode—they are a gold mine waiting to be tapped. By 2035, with the right investment in education, jobs, inclusion, and governance, we could transform this nation into a hub of innovation and prosperity.
The question is not whether our youth can lead Sierra Leone into a new era. The question is whether the nation is ready to match their ambition. The time to act is now—because our youthquake will not wait.