Afrinfinity

Africa is on the brink of a workforce revolution.
By 2035, Africa will have the largest working-age population in the world—over 1 billion people (World Bank, 2023). This is either a demographic challenge or a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
The question is: Are we preparing African youth for jobs that are disappearing… or empowering them to create jobs the world hasn’t imagined yet?

🔹 What’s one bold step leaders should take to prepare youth for the digital future?

MINDSET IS EVERYTHING

No matter the economy of the jungle, a lion should never eat grass. Yet today’s “lions” are eating grass. That is how tough things have become. You can easily tell the state of the economy by observing long-distance travelers. If passengers buy food and drinks from hawkers, eat to their fill, and then doze off, it means the economy is doing fairly well. But if no one buys anything—no chewing, no sipping, just angry faces staring at the driver and ready to lecture him for the slightest mistake—then you know times are hard.

In the past, the national budget reading was an exciting event. People gathered to watch the minister read, sipping water bottle after bottle, while MPs clapped at every clever statement. Even the sleepy ones would wake up just to congratulate him for a “well-thought-out” budget. Not anymore. Today, budget reading has become synonymous with maandamano—protests. Citizens watch in fear, praying that the CS does not suddenly announce a chicken consumption tax. That is how strained the economy has become.

Now, everyone from bishops to witches uses some form of flattery or persuasion to squeeze the last coin from our pockets. Maybe this explains why, in primary school, our headteacher brought magicians to perform—eating fire, swallowing nails, and walking on ropes. Perhaps he was preparing us early for survival in this harsh economy.

But the big question remains: why do the rich keep getting richer, while the poor and middle class sink deeper into poverty?

MINDSET. The rich understand that even in a tough economy, opportunity hides in plain sight. They adapt, innovate, and multiply whatever little they have, while the poor often focus only on survival. It is the reason Elon Musk plans to take one million people to Mars and perhap make its economy ride on Cryptocurrency. Mindset is the lens through which we view hardship: one person sees scarcity and retreats, another sees possibility and advances. The economy may be cruel, but the difference between grass-eating lions and thriving hunters often comes down to how they think.

NIIS Africa – Kenyan Chapter is proud to open doors for Malaysian companies at the Malaysia–Kenya Business Seminar and B2B Meeting, officiated by The Honourable Dato' Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, Chairman MATRADE.

The forum brought together Malaysian companies from diverse sectors for B2B engagements with Kenyan businesses. It created an excellent platform to explore opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and expand market linkages.

We had meaningful engagements through:
🔶 Business seminar & one-on-one B2B meetings
🔶 Insightful talks with industry leaders
🔶 Roundtable discussions with Malaysian companies

Together, we are building lasting collaborations that drive innovation, trade, and sustainable growth across both nations.