The Africa of my Dreams Writing Contest

What does the Africa of your dreams look like? What hopes and dreams do you have? How do you envision the future? 

The African Development Bank is prompting Africa’s youth to think about how the fourth industrial revolution will shape the economies, jobs and lives of tomorrow by putting pen to paper and enter The Africa of my Dreams writing contest which aims to reinforce the Bank’s commitment to Africa’s youth and bring their voice and perspective into discussions of the continent’s development.

All you have to do is write an article (no longer than 1,000 words) on the Africa of your dreams, by March 26. Entries can be in English or French, and must be an unpublished journalistic piece, in the media category, or an unpublished essay or creative writing piece, in the general category, related to the contest’s theme, “Accelerating Africa’s Industrialization” and based on any of the following sub-themes:

• Smart Cities and Urban Development
• The Internet of Things
• Agriculture as a Business
• 4th Industrial Revolution
• ICTs and the video game industry
• Inclusive and sustainable industrial development
• Integrating Africa through Entertainment
• Blockchain and cryptocurrency
• The future of entrepreneurship
• Health innovation

Participants must be a national of one of the 54 African countries.

By recognizing the energy, creativity and innovative thinking that they bring to the table, the Bank aims to encourage the youth to reflect on the pivotal role they play in the development of their countries and the continent. It is expected that the population of the youth will double from the current 480 million to reach 840 million, by 2050, and Africa will be the youngest continent in the world.

Accelerating Africa’s development through industrialization is also one of the Bank’s strategic priorities, the High 5s. The rise and diversification of investments in the continent as well as the structural factors that have contributed to its sustained economic growth, such as demographics, growing internal markets, urbanization and technological developments, represent a driving force to accelerate the Africa’s industrialization.

Leveraging the youth’s innovative and creative potential can play a crucial role in industrializing Africa.

Check here for more information on The Africa of my Dreams writing contest, including its requirements, rules and regulations, and prizes.