African Youths Urged to Embrace Leadership, Resilience at Pan-African Conference in Lagos
By Cynthia Okere, Lagos
Young Africans, particularly Nigerian youths, have been urged to remain resilient in pursuing their aspirations and not allow setbacks or difficult circumstances to force them to abandon their dreams.
The Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Moyosore Adebanjo, gave the charge in Lagos at the fourth edition of the Pan-African Leadership Conference and Awards, organised by the Pan African Youth Leadership Foundation (PAYLEF).
The 2026 conference, themed “Not Too Young to Lead,” brought together young entrepreneurs, business executives and emerging leaders to discuss youth participation in leadership, entrepreneurship and Africa’s development.
Adebanjo told participants that young people were not too young to take responsibility for leadership, accountability and the welfare of others, stressing that Africa’s transformation would require youths who are prepared to create solutions, build institutions and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Drawing from his political experience, the council chairman said setbacks should be regarded as part of the journey towards achieving meaningful goals.
“Taking responsibility for leadership is not an immediate affair. I lost election three times before I became who I am today. Failure in trying to achieve what you want is part of your success story,” Adebanjo said.
Adebanjo, who received an award at the event, described young Africans as a major driving force in the continent’s future and thanked the organisers for the recognition.
He said the honour would further strengthen his commitment to impactful leadership and initiatives aimed at improving opportunities for young people.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Browncon Group, Dr Samuel Ndubuisi-Brown, who was appointed to the Governing Council of PAYLEF, also encouraged young Africans not to allow prevailing economic and social challenges to define their future.
Brown told participants that difficulties exist in different parts of the world and should instead motivate young people to work towards creating the change they want to see.
“In every part of the world, there are always challenges, and this means that nobody will give you the licence to succeed except you. So, I urge you to go out there and bring change to your world and create impact,” he said.
He also urged young people to develop courage as they pursue their ambitions, drawing attention to his book, Build With Courage, which focuses on courage, discipline and overcoming fear in pursuing one’s goals.
Founder and Executive Director of the Pan African Youth Leadership Foundation, Adebowale Salako, said the conference was designed to encourage youth leadership across Africa and reinforce the message that young people could take up leadership responsibilities.
Salako particularly called for greater participation of youths in the democratic process, both as voters and candidates for public office.
“Leadership is not only for old people. I want to see the youths perform their civic responsibility by voting and aspire to be voted for. We shouldn’t wait for people to decide our future. Going forward, I want to see more young people in leadership in Africa, especially in Nigeria,” he said.
Other speakers and participants at the conference included the Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of Jadel Interior and Designs, Ovy Sandra Omoruyi; Chief Executive Officer of TVC Communications, Victoria Ajayi; founder of Idaro Skincare, Kaisha Faiza; Category Development Manager, Nestlé Waters and Premium Beverages, Bukola Oyedokun; and President of AMODEFA, Esparanca Matsimbe.
They stressed the importance of young Africans developing themselves professionally, excelling in their chosen careers and becoming more willing to take up civic and leadership responsibilities.
The conference also focused on sustainable development, youth inclusion in governance, corporate excellence and strategies for growing entrepreneurial ventures across Africa.
Organisers said the gathering was intended to connect emerging African entrepreneurs, executives, policymakers and investors while creating opportunities for networking and cross-border collaboration.
A major highlight of the event was the recognition of individuals and corporate organisations considered to be making significant contributions across different sectors in Africa through the League of Excellence Awards.
The programme also featured the induction of the 2026 League of Excellence cohort, reinforcing the conference’s broader objective of encouraging a new generation of Africans to take greater responsibility in business, governance and societal development.