Business
How Young People are Creating Businesses Selling Coffee
As part of Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative, MYOWBU is benefitting over 5, 000 young people and seeks to double its youth outreach with entrepreneurship to 10, 000 by 2025
ACCRA, Ghana, December 1, 2022/APO Group/ —
In the world of entrepreneurship, some dream and hope their ideas become reality whilst others seize any available opportunity to make their dreams come true. In the end, what these people want is to have something they can proudly call “MyOwnBusiness”.
Laurent Georges is one such example. While in his final year of secondary school in Cameroon, Laurent faced serious financial challenges. Exploring ways to find solution, his sister told him about a youth entrepreneurship program she had heard of in Cameroon. Seeing himself as a future entrepreneur, Laurent without a doubt took his sister’s advice and joined Nestlé’s My Own Business (MYOWBU) program. “From a pushcart operator to owning my own operator site, the MYOWBU program has considerably changed and blessed my life. From 2015, I have been able to completely pay all my school fees till now where I’m in research cycle in university. I have become a real support to my family!”, Laurent said.
Laurent’s business now employs 32 people. Through self-employment, Laurent has now become financially independent. Like Laurent, Ahou a young mother in Côte d’Ivoire earns a living through this program selling around 200 cups of coffee a day. As a street vendor, “This is how I earn money which allows me to be independent and take care of my child”. From Ghana, Edward Yaw Kumah started as a Salesperson in 2007. Today, he owns an operating site, providing job opportunities for youth in his business. Edward sees a bright future with this business and hopes to expand across the country and provide more job opportunities for others.
The growth of Africa’s economy can be accelerated if we integrate youth development as a core aspect in business operations
MYOWBU presents an opportunity for young adults such as Laurent, Ahou, and Edward to venture into entrepreneurship to become financially independent. It is also a call for businesses to engage youth and help build their entrepreneurial skills.
Rabie Issa, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Professional and Nestlé Waters strongly believes that “The growth of Africa’s economy can be accelerated if we integrate youth development as a core aspect in business operations. Nestlé will continue to find the right partnerships to create enabling entrepreneurial environment and help young people thrive in Central and West Africa”.
As part of Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative, MYOWBU is benefitting over 5, 000 young people and seeks to double its youth outreach with entrepreneurship to 10, 000 by 2025.
Currently operational in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal among others, the program provides commercial equipment including pushcarts and shoulder kits as enablers for interested youth with the dream of starting and owing their own businesses. Nestlé’s MYOWBU contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Nestlé.
Events
As global power structures shift, Invest Africa convenes The Africa Debate 2026 to redefine partnership in a changing world
The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation
Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate has established itself as London’s premier platform for African investment dialogue since launching in 2014, convening over 800 global decision-makers annually to shape the future of trade, finance, investment, and development across the continent.
Under the theme “Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”, this year’s forum will focus on Africa’s response to global economic realignment with greater agency, ambition and economic sovereignty.
The Africa Debate puts Africa’s priorities at the centre of the conversation, moving beyond traditional narratives to focus on ownership, resilience and long-term value creation.
“Volatility is not new to Africa. What is changing is the opportunity to respond with greater agency and ambition,” says Invest Africa CEO Chantelé Carrington.
“This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy — so African economies can take greater ownership of their growth. Success will be defined by how effectively we turn disruption into leverage and partnership into shared value.”
The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation.
Key challenges driving the debate
Core focus areas for this year’s edition of The Africa Debate include:
This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy
Global Realignment & New Partnerships
How shifting geopolitical and economic power structures are reshaping Africa’s global partnerships, trade dynamics and investment landscape.
Financing Africa’s Future
The growing need to reform the global financial architecture, new approaches to development finance, as well as the strengthening of market access and financial resilience of African economies in a changing global system.
Strategic Value Chains
Moving beyond primary exports to build local value chains in critical minerals for the green economy. Also addressing Africa’s energy access gap and mobilising investment in renewable and transitional energy systems.
Digital Transformation & Technology
Unlocking growth in fintech, AI and digital infrastructure to drive productivity, inclusion, and the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation.
The Africa Debate 2026 offers a unique platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making, and strategic engagement. Attendees will gain actionable insights from leading policymakers, investors and business leaders shaping Africa’s economic future, while building strategic partnerships that define the continent’s next growth phase.
Registration is now open (http://apo-opa.co/46b19gj).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.
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