Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba has challenged African leaders to translate the continent’s growing youth population into an economic advantage by investing in skills, technology and innovation to address the shortage of employment opportunities.
Dr Nchemba said millions of young Africans enter the labour market every year without finding jobs, warning that the continent risks failing to harness its greatest demographic resource unless governments strengthen cooperation in education, technology and skills development.
He said Africa needed to move beyond general commitments and establish practical partnerships that prepare young people for emerging industries, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology.
“Africa stands as the youngest continent in the world. However, millions of young women and men enter the labour market every year in search of opportunities that are not available,” he said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while representing President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the Third Russia-Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government held at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia.
He said cooperation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies should include training a new generation of African engineers capable of developing home-grown solutions and protecting the continent's control over its data.
“Collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital technologies must be targeted so that we can train the next generation of African engineers and ensure African data remains under African control,” he said.
He added that such partnerships should be aligned with the African Union Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy to strengthen Africa's technological capacity and reduce its dependence on external expertise.
The call comes as African countries face the challenge of creating sufficient jobs for a rapidly expanding working-age population, while technological changes are reshaping labour markets and the skills demanded by employers.
Dr Nchemba also linked human capital development to Tanzania's educational cooperation with Russia, calling for more scholarship opportunities in fields considered critical to the country's development.
He thanked the Russian Federation for supporting Tanzanian students through scholarships but said the existing allocation should be increased, particularly in engineering, medicine and advanced sciences.
“Tanzania sincerely appreciates the scholarships provided by the Russian Federation to Tanzanian students. To further strengthen human capital development, we would like to see an increased allocation, particularly in key fields such as engineering, medicine and advanced sciences,” he said.
Beyond education and technology, the Prime Minister used the summit to push for greater recognition of Kiswahili in Russia-Africa cooperation, arguing that language could help strengthen communication, cultural exchange and relations between African countries and Russia.
He appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin and African Union Chairperson Évariste Ndayishimiye, who is also Burundi's President, to support the inclusion of Kiswahili among the languages used by the cooperation platform.
Dr Nchemba said Kiswahili already had an established position in continental and international institutions, including the African Union, East African Community, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Unesco.
He further noted that the language had been taught in Russian academic institutions for decades, giving the country an existing foundation for expanding its use.
“To strengthen mutual understanding, Tanzania formally proposes that Kiswahili be included in the cultural and educational programmes of the Russia-Africa Cooperation Forum,” he said.
He also invited African leaders seeking to promote indigenous languages to consider Kiswahili as a shared continental language, pledging Tanzania's support through the provision of teachers, textbooks and dictionaries.
Congratulating Mali's leadership for promoting the use of local languages, Dr Nchemba urged other African countries to reduce their reliance on colonial languages.
“I invite them to replace colonial languages with Kiswahili, and the United Republic of Tanzania will provide teachers, textbooks and dictionaries,” he said.
He argued that wider adoption of Kiswahili would give African countries an opportunity to strengthen their cultural identity and promote a language rooted in the continent.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Zanzibar Minister of Health Nassor Ahmed Mazrui, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation James Ole Millya, Tanzania's Ambassador to Russia Frederick Kibuta, permanent secretaries and other government officials.