Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship: Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa

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This open access book analyzes the limitations of top-down intervention programs designed by the state to address the problem of unemployment among marginalized communities in Africa and foregrounds the centrality of IKS in fostering entrepreneurship. Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Inocent Moyo, and Lethiwe Zondo examine the solutions to these problems within the ongoing debate on decolonization of knowledge and epistemic justice. The contributors argue that when the voices of the marginalized communities are taken into consideration in the design of employment and entrepreneurship policies, such policies would be more effective, affirming the agency and rights within these communities. Using case studies and theoretical research, this book investigates how a better engagement with marginalized communities and indigenous knowledges in the design of entrepreneurship and employment policies could foster more positive outcomes in Africa. This book recenters the voices of Indigenous youth within entrepreneurship programs to highlight the interests, priorities, and challenges of these communities.

This edited volume was produced in the context of the African Indigenous Knowledge Research Network (AIKRN) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. This was a two-year initiative that ran between 2023 and 2025 to uncover and promote sustainable and scalable opportunities for youth employment grounded in Indigenous African knowledge systems and values. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Mastercard Foundation, its staff, or its Board of Directors.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access provided in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

Reviews

Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Youth Entrepreneurship: Recentering the Voices of Marginalized Communities in Africa is extremely timely. Theorizing issues of African Indigenous knowledge systems is a reminder to the world of Africa's contribution to knowledge production from time immemorial. The contributors provide solutions to resolve the current crisis of unemployment by showing the 'relevance of application of these systems to entrepreneurship,' recentering the neglected voices of marginalized groups within the African continent. -- Njoki Nathani Wane, University of Toronto
Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba, Inocent Moyo, and Lethiwe Zondos insights are cogently woven into a pattern, integrating youth entrepreneurship and the historically marginalized Indigenous knowledge systems, encompassing traditions passed down through generations and practices of diverse Indigenous communities, and linking them to broad economic activities in their local spaces. Tackling youth inactivity and gender inequalities through indigenous knowledge systems is essential if countries are to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work for all by 2030. This book advocates for a shift from Eurocentric policy development processes to an inclusive and innovative approach. The contributors promote youth entrepreneurship and self-reliance, further contributing towards the promotion of the marginalized rural informal economy and open access to build cohesive communities in Africa. Therefore, I firmly believe that this book is valuable and worthy of recognition. -- Charles Nwaila, National Skills Authority of South Africa

Author Bio

Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba is assistant professor and principal investigator of the intercontinental research project on Indigenous knowledge, youth entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods in Africa at the Institute of African Studies at Carleton University.
Inocent Moyo is associate professor and deputy dean faculty of humanities and social sciences at the University of Zululand.
Lethiwe Zondo is doctoral student in the Department of Development Studies at the University of South Africa.