Africa Can Feed the World, but Needs Its Youth, Says Former Sierra Leone President

Former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, has emphasized that Africa possesses abundant natural resources capable of feeding the world, but the continent’s potential can only be fully realized through the efforts of its youth. Koroma made this statement on Friday at an event organized by the Rochas Foundation in Abuja, marking the International Day of the Girl Child.

“We have over 30 per cent deposits of minerals and land. We can feed the rest of the world for the years to come,” Koroma said, highlighting the continent’s wealth in natural resources. However, he warned that these resources alone are insufficient without human capital. “We can only achieve that when you translate yourself into meaningful citizens, meaningful citizens of the countries you are coming from, and meaningful African citizens,” he added, urging young Africans to take an active role in the continent’s development.

Koroma stressed that Africa’s future lies in its youth, calling on the next generation to transform themselves and, by extension, the continent. “The future of Africa depends on you,” he said, encouraging further investment in the education and empowerment of young people.

Also speaking at the event, former Governor of Imo State and founder of the Rochas Foundation, Rochas Okorocha, addressed the issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly among girls. Okorocha lamented that 70 percent of the country’s 13 million out-of-school children are girls, attributing this to cultural barriers preventing them from accessing education.

“For some cultural reasons, these kids are not allowed to discover who they are. It’s the right of every child to go to school,” Okorocha said, stressing that education is essential for securing a child’s future. He called for free education and greater community involvement to combat the crisis, urging the government to promote volunteerism as a means of supporting education. “Volunteerism is the way to go, and I think governments should initiate it,” he said, praising Nigerians for their generosity and potential to drive change.