The Hope Builders Foundation has announced that the 2025 edition of the Hope Builders Festival will take place on November 20th and 21st in Kaduna State, with the theme: “Future-Ready Africa: Beyond Degrees.”
The announcement was made during a press briefing held at the Foundation’s headquarters on Mobutu Road, Narayi High Cost, Kaduna.
Addressing journalists, the Executive Director of the Foundation, Rev. Prof. Mathias B. Yashim, said the festival aims to confront one of Africa’s biggest challenges: the disconnect between formal education and employability.
“Millions of young Africans have discovered that a university degree is no longer a guarantee for employment,” Yashim stated. “This festival is our response to that betrayal — a platform for building skills, promoting entrepreneurship, and empowering youth to become change-makers.”
Beyond Degrees: A Shift in Mindset
Yashim described the theme, “Beyond Degrees,” as a wake-up call for African societies to rethink education and workforce readiness. According to him, Africa’s unemployment crisis is not due to a lack of talent, but rather a failure to equip youth with practical, job-ready skills.
“Africa is not poor. We have been made to believe we are. What we lack is a system that translates our rich potential into prosperity,” he added.
What to Expect at the Festival
The two-day festival will feature a variety of events designed to inspire, connect, and empower young people. These include:
- A showcase of innovative solutions from African entrepreneurs
- The graduation of participants from the Enterprise Academy MBA program
- Launch of new scholarship opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs
- Keynote speeches by industry leaders and changemakers
- Project exhibitions and networking sessions
The event will bring together youth leaders, education experts, funders, social entrepreneurs, and government representatives to discuss and implement solutions that address unemployment and underemployment.
Call for Stakeholder Support
Rev. Yashim called on government agencies, education institutions, the private sector, and development partners to support the initiative.
He urged the Ministries of Education and Youth Development, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and universities and polytechnics to embrace reforms that focus on employability. He also encouraged investors, mentors, and international donors to support the movement with funding, expertise, and strategic partnerships.
“This festival is not just an event. It is a movement. If we are to build the Africa we dream of, we must act now and act together,” he said.
The Hope Builders Festival 2025 is expected to attract hundreds of participants from across Nigeria and other African countries. Organizers say the festival will serve as a launchpad for bold conversations, practical solutions, and sustainable partnerships that can transform Africa’s youth into a force for economic and social development.
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