From Posts to Progress: African Youth, Social Media and Innovation

Abstract

Africa’s growing youth population and rapid digitalization present significant opportunities for innovation-led growth, yet the contribution of social media to knowledge exchange and innovation remains underexplored. This study examines how platform-specific social media use influences innovation, conceptualized through external search breadth and depth, absorptive capacity, and moderated by macroeconomic conditions. Using panel data from 52 African countries (2009–2022) and fixed-effects regressions, the analysis assesses the link between YouTube and innovation outcomes such as patent applications. Results suggest that YouTube may consistently supports innovation by facilitating knowledge diffusion, creative expression, and youth engagement, Findings emphasize that youth-focused, open-access digital platforms, combined with supportive institutional and educational frameworks, are critical for inclusive and sustainable innovation in Africa.