Nigerian author, James Popoola, has addressed the United Nations during the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2026 in New York, United States, rallying participants that it’s time to change the narrative of Africa.
The graduate of History and International Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, who currently serves a United Nations interagency representative through the UN Summit of the Future Champions Program, was invited to the United Nations Headquarters by the President of the ECOSOC, Lok Bahadur Thapa, as a youth delegate representing Nigeria.
James, who wrote the book, ‘Leadership Sense: A Practical Guide To Making Transformational Impact’, believed it’s about time to change the narrative of Africa. “The headlines are not helping matters but we can start redesigning our continent,” he stated, recalling one of the sessions on African continental discussion titled ‘Turning the Tide: Youth Leadership for Transformative and coordinated SDG action Intergenerational solutions for 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063: youth leadership, partnerships and collective action in Africa’, was one of the biggest side events he really looked forward to and he accomplished his goal of addressing leaders across Africa.
Mr. Jean Paul-Adam, Director, Policy Monitoring and Advocacy, Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, United Nations Secretariat, among other leaders across Africa, gave their submissions.
James submitted, “the Africa we want requires every hand to be on deck. In order for us to accomplish this, the importance of self-leadership and taking responsibility as individuals cannot be overemphasised.”
The global population recently reached 8 billion, with the most significant population growth happening in Africa. Africa’s population has grown from about 140 million in 1900 (9% of the world’s population) to over 1.4 billion today, mainly due to lower death rates and high birth rates, says International Monetary Fund (IMF), African Century 2023.
According to the United Nations, Africa’s population could reach around 2.5 billion by 2050, meaning more than a quarter of the world’s population will be African. What can we do to prepare for the future that lies ahead of us but already live here?
James called for more leadership trainings and capacity building platforms for Africa’s young population. The youth can’t be left behind at no point in time.
Every leader, stakeholder, development partner, youth and institution has a role to play, we need to prepare adequately for the future we want while we tailor our programs in line with global agenda such as Goal 2030 and Agenda 2063 by the African Union (AU).
To our leaders across the African continent, we need you to hold hands of every young child full of fire and ambition. With the right acceleration programs developed youth from Makoko to Kibera in Kenya, Soweto in South Africa, Cairo and beyond, we can turn potential into unstoppable prosperity.
Enough of promises without program. Action needs to speak louder than our 17-point agenda. The world can’t live without Africa; we need to uplift our youth for future prosperity and progress.
The ECOSOC Youth Forum is a platform for young people to engage with policymakers, UN officials, and other stakeholders to discuss key issues related to sustainable development. The 2026 theme is “Innovate, Unite and Transform: Youth Shaping the Road to 2030″.
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