YMAU: Over 300 delegates chart Africa’s economic future

The fifth edition of the Yale Model African Union concluded in Accra, serving as a high-level platform for over 300 delegates to chart a new course for the continent’s economic and agricultural landscape.

Under the theme ‘Imagine, Challenge & Build the Africa We Want’, the conference highlighted the critical need to bridge the gap between traditional industry and the next generation of African leaders.

A major highlight of the event was the contribution of the Country Director of Fludor Ghana (a subsidiary of TGI Group), Dennis Sampong, who addressed a diverse audience of policymakers, entrepreneurs and students. Sampong underscored that Africa’s development is inextricably linked to its young population.

“The future of Africa is the youth. If you look at Ghana, more than 60 per cent of the population is under the age of 35. Anything we’re doing now is going to be the youth’s future.

“Nobody can do better for Africa than us,” Sampong stated during a panel session focused on policy and enterprise.

Central to the discussion was the sustainability of the agricultural sector, particularly cocoa, which remains a cornerstone of West African economies. Sampong raised concerns over the ageing demographic of the current farming workforce and the urgent need for a technological shift.

“The average farmer is between 55 and 60 years old. If our farmers used to use cutlasses and hoes to do cocoa, what other technologies can we bring in? As part of our training programmes, we encourage young people to go into cocoa and use modern ways of going about their farming activities,” he noted.

The conference emphasised that innovation alone is insufficient without the right policy framework. Joined on the panel by leaders such as Audrey S-Darko (CEO, Sabon Sake) and Jide Pratt (Country Pilot Manager, TradeGrid), the dialogue focused on how the private sector can influence policy to create scalable development solutions.

“This initiative is not just about knowledge sharing; it is about transformation. We must ensure that geographical boundaries and outdated methods no longer define a company’s or an individual’s potential,” added conference contributors, echoing the sentiment of regional integration.

The YMAU conference, according to a statement, was held from 13 to 15 March 2026 and also featured insights from high-ranking officials, including Ghana’s Minister of Youth Development and Engagement, George Addo, and Tara Squire of Ecobank Ghana.

TGI Group’s sponsorship and active participation via Fludor Ghana reinforced the conglomerate’s commitment to fostering a sustainable pipeline of talent and innovation, ensuring that the “Africa We Want” is built by the hands of its most energetic demographic.