By Esther Onyegbula

The Chief Executive Officer of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor will participate in a high-level African Union workshop aimed at establishing a continental youth committee to champion the empowerment of African languages through innovation and technology.

The event, titled the Operational Workshop for the Establishment of the ACALAN Continental Youth Committee for the Empowerment of African Languages (ACYCEAL), will be held at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa from May 27 to 28, 2025.

Organized by the African Academy of Languages (ACALAN), the AU’s specialized language agency, the workshop is themed “Empowering African Youth through Language Innovation and Digital Technologies.” It will bring together linguists, youth leaders, technology experts, and policymakers from across the continent to develop strategic frameworks for linguistic advancement.

“This is a major step toward engaging African youth in preserving and modernizing our indigenous languages,” said Prince Ilobanafor, whose media platform CEOAFRICA is known for spotlighting African stories and voices globally. “I will be there to contribute to the mobilization of youth engagement and foster innovative strategies that will drive linguistic empowerment across the continent.”

The workshop supports key AU agendas, including Aspiration 5 of Agenda 2063, the Language Plan of Action for Africa (LPAA), and the ACALAN Strategic Plan (2022–2032). Participants will work on drafting operational guidelines for the ACYCEAL and contribute to shaping future language policies—particularly those stemming from AU Assembly Decision 796, which declared Kiswahili an official working language of the AU, and the ongoing Decade of African Languages.

Ilobanafor, a member of the African Languages Week Coordinating Committee (ALWCC), emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration. “For African languages to thrive in the digital age, we need a united effort from developers, investors, and cultural advocates,” he said.

The workshop is expected to mark a significant milestone in harnessing youth-led innovation to preserve and promote Africa’s rich linguistic heritage.