By Ridwan Oyenuga, Founder & CEO, SereniMind
Africa’s future is often discussed in terms of opportunity. The continent is home to the world’s youngest population, a growing digital economy, expanding entrepreneurship ecosystems, and increasing investments in education, innovation, and workforce development. Across Africa, governments and development partners continue to invest in programmes designed to prepare young people for the future.
The Gambia is part of this story.
Like many African nations, The Gambia has a youthful population filled with ambition, creativity, and potential. Young Gambians are pursuing careers in business, agriculture, media, technology, education, public service, and countless other fields. They represent a generation capable of driving economic growth, strengthening democratic participation, and contributing to national development.
Yet as African countries seek to unlock the potential of their young populations, one important issue often receives less attention than it deserves: youth wellbeing.
Development discussions frequently focus on infrastructure, employment, economic growth, education, and healthcare. These priorities remain essential. However, there is increasing recognition that mental health and wellbeing are equally important foundations for sustainable development.
A young person experiencing chronic stress, anxiety, burnout, trauma, or emotional distress may struggle to complete their education, secure employment, maintain productivity, or participate fully in society. Wellbeing affects learning outcomes, workplace performance, creativity, leadership, relationships, and overall quality of life.
For this reason, mental health should not be viewed solely as a healthcare issue. It is also an education issue, an economic issue, a workforce issue, and ultimately a development issue.
Across Africa, young people are navigating a rapidly changing environment. Economic uncertainty, unemployment, rising living costs, academic pressure, social expectations, and technological change all shape their daily experiences. Social media has created new opportunities for communication and learning, but it has also introduced challenges related to comparison, cyberbullying, misinformation, and unrealistic expectations.
In many communities, conversations about mental health remain limited by stigma and misunderstanding. While awareness is gradually improving, many young people still feel uncomfortable discussing emotional difficulties or seeking support when they need it.
According to youth wellbeing advocate Ridwan Oyenuga, these challenges are becoming increasingly visible across the continent.
Working with young people from different African countries, Oyenuga has observed that regardless of geography, many young people share similar concerns about uncertainty, pressure, belonging, and access to support systems. While the circumstances may differ between countries, the need for stronger wellbeing structures remains a common theme.
This reality is particularly important because Africa’s development ambitions depend heavily on its young population.
The African Union’s Agenda 2063 envisions a prosperous continent driven by its citizens, particularly young people. Similarly, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals recognise health and wellbeing as essential components of sustainable development. These frameworks acknowledge that long-term progress cannot be achieved through economic growth alone. Human wellbeing must also be prioritised.
Several African countries have begun taking steps in this direction.
In Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and other countries, awareness campaigns, educational initiatives, research programmes, and community-led interventions have helped bring greater attention to mental health and wellbeing. Universities, civil society organisations, healthcare professionals, journalists, and youth groups are increasingly contributing to public conversations that were once considered difficult or taboo.
The Gambia has an opportunity to strengthen these conversations further.
As the country continues to invest in education, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment, wellbeing can become an important part of broader development planning. Supporting young people means addressing not only their economic and educational needs but also the social and emotional challenges that influence their ability to succeed.
One important step is strengthening mental health education. Schools and universities can play a vital role in helping young people understand emotional wellbeing, resilience, stress management, and healthy coping mechanisms.
Another important area is community engagement. Families, educators, religious leaders, youth organisations, and local communities all have a role to play in creating supportive environments where young people feel comfortable discussing challenges and seeking guidance when necessary.
Technology also presents opportunities. Digital platforms are increasingly helping young people access information, connect with supportive communities, and learn about wellbeing resources. As digital access expands across Africa, these tools may help bridge important gaps in awareness and accessibility.
Ridwan Oyenuga, through his work with SereniMind and youth-focused wellbeing initiatives across Africa, argues that investment in wellbeing should be viewed as an investment in development itself. When young people are healthy, supported, and equipped to navigate challenges, they are better positioned to contribute to their communities and economies.
This perspective reflects a broader shift occurring across the continent. Mental health is gradually moving from the margins of public discourse into mainstream conversations about development, education, productivity, and social progress.
However, awareness alone is not enough.
Meaningful progress will require stronger partnerships between governments, educational institutions, civil society organisations, healthcare providers, development partners, media organisations, and youth-led initiatives. It will require policies that recognise wellbeing as a development priority and investments that ensure support systems are available to those who need them.
Africa’s greatest resource is not found beneath the ground or within its infrastructure. It is found in its people.
The continent’s future prosperity will depend on whether its young people are able to learn, innovate, create, lead, and thrive. Supporting their wellbeing is therefore not a secondary concern. It is a strategic investment in Africa’s future.
As The Gambia and other African nations continue working toward the aspirations outlined in Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals, youth wellbeing deserves a central place in the conversation.
Because when young people thrive, communities thrive. When communities thrive, nations prosper. And when Africa’s youth succeed, Africa’s future becomes stronger.
