Joy Kiiru

IEA – Could you walk us through the key moments that shaped your path – from your earliest exposure to economic thinking, to what sparked your interest in the field, and ultimately what drew you to academic research?

Joy – To be candid about my career path – it’s been shaped by a combination of circumstance and deliberate choices. Growing up in a rural area, we had limited exposure to high-level academic role models. Career aspirations were often influenced by what we saw around us – primarily nurses and teachers – and the readings we did. My career choice kept changing with every exposure. For example, early readings of Ben Carson and Nancy Drew sparked my interest in medicine and detective work, respectively. When I joined high school, STEM careers were rated above everything else, and I was easily influenced. When I was selected to study for Bachelor of Arts at the University, I felt frustrated and even contemplated not attending college at all. There was a lack of information about what a Bachelor of Arts degree entailed. It was my primary school teacher who convinced me of the value of all degrees, and I trusted her judgment.

By the time I enrolled, many departments had closed admissions, but economics and philosophy were still open. Philosophy honed my critical thinking and self-esteem, while economics introduced me to the potential for creating positive change. I became passionate about the discipline, particularly the research aspect. From methodologies to problem modelling, data collection, and analysis, I found it all exhilarating. Research showed me how things could be different and what was needed to achieve those impacts. Winning a competitive research grant before completing my master’s degree led to my first job as a research associate at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Economics.

IEA – What motivated your focus on digital economy solutions for youth unemployment in Africa? Your research mentions Africa’s digital infrastructure gap. Could you provide specific examples of the most critical infrastructure challenges you’ve identified? What specific implementation challenges have you observed?

Joy – Youth unemployment poses a significant global challenge. While the 2023 global youth unemployment rate of 13% marks a 15-year low, this figure doesn’t include underemployment, which can sometimes represent disguised unemployment. Furthermore, the rate varies considerably by region and gender, with rates exceeding 30% in areas like the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the global youth NEET rate (Not in Employment, Education, or Training) for young women being more than double that of young men.

Amidst jobless growth in many economies, digital inclusion has emerged as a vital support for youth employment through three primary avenues: access to online jobs, the creation of digital startups and other services (including entertainment), and broader market access via digital platforms and online social media. Digital inclusion is also essential for networking and communication, which are both crucial for finding and maintaining employment.

Despite its importance, significant gaps in digital infrastructure persist, impacting access, usage, and safety of digital platforms. The affordability of mobile phones (especially smartphones), digital literacy, and social gender norms are among the constraints hindering progress. Investments are needed to make mobile phones and smartphones affordable and accessible. Digital literacy and internet access should be prioritized as educational, employment, and networking tools. Robust policies that foster competition within the sector are also essential, as governments alone may not achieve the desired impact, highlighting the need for private sector involvement. It is imperative that basic digital skills, including internet use, safety, and coding, are introduced early in the education system to prepare youth for the future (or perhaps the current) world, where digital innovation and work re-engineering through digital platforms are prevalent. Youth must be equipped for this reality, while economies should brace for continued jobless growth and the necessity for stronger safety nets to ensure equitable distribution of growth benefits for human well-being.

IEA – What have you learned about why Kenya’s youth employment programs aren’t working, and what needs to change to make them more effective?

Joy – Kenya’s youth employment interventions face two major challenges: politicization and weak institutions. This combination results in resource leakages and, ultimately, insignificant impacts from these interventions. For instance, Kazi Mtaani, a public works social protection and youth employment program providing jobs in clean-up and infrastructure maintenance, is conceptually sound. However, weak management practices lead to inflated costs, making the project unsustainable and preventing it from achieving long-term impact. Financial inclusion programs also suffer from similar implementation failures. Political interference often results in poor targeting, resource misallocation, and loan repayment issues due to political incitement. There is an urgent need to strengthen program design, management, and accountability to ensure impactful outcomes. Simultaneously, we must enhance the private sector’s role by providing supportive policies and incentives for job creation.