As I stood amidst the futuristic splendour of Shanghai’s magnetic-levitation train station last month, I found myself captivated by silent trains effortlessly accelerating to 600 kilometres per hour.
It was impossible not to recall the familiar chaos of Accra’s congested streets, where the hum of hopeful ambition often feels drowned by exhaust fumes and frustration. Yet, my reaction wasn’t envy; rather, it was a profound clarity that settled within me–a revelation about China’s success, and more importantly, about Africa’s destiny.
China’s brilliance lies not in reinventing the wheel but in taking the best wheels that already exist, scaling them rapidly, and steering them decisively toward the future. For Africa, this is the vital lesson–one that must form the cornerstone of our collective awakening.
It is not knowledge we lack, nor ingenuity, but a resolute determination to adapt and apply proven solutions to African realities. Let China’s rise be the powerful wind filling our sails, propelling us to our rightful place at history’s helm, steering our own course forward.
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Five years ago, I first encountered the sprawling skyline of Shenzhen, shimmering with potential and unfulfilled dreams. Today, those same skylines pulse vibrantly with the palpable energy of realised ambition.
Visiting Nanshan District, I saw Ghanaian engineers diligently learning at Tencent’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence labs. In Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Science City, young Nigerian coders debugged blockchain code alongside their Chinese colleagues, a testament not to some miracle but rather the fruits of deliberate strategy and unwavering commitment.
China’s remarkable transformation hinges upon three fundamental pillars: infrastructure, education-industrial synergy, and sovereign pragmatism. Their vast high-speed rail network, stretching over 42,000 kilometres and constructed in a mere 15 years, dwarfs the slow infrastructural development of Europe, which managed less than half of that distance in five decades. Unlike the railways left behind by colonial powers, which merely extracted Africa’s riches, China’s rails transport ideas, labour, innovation, and value.
At Huawei’s renowned Shenzhen Academy, I met Ewurabena, a bright Ghanaian scholar from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, engrossed in mastering the intricacies of 6G network architecture. With conviction in her voice, she told me, “They teach us to build, not beg.” Her words resonated deeply. Each year, China produces over 1.5 million STEM graduates, strategically harnessing their youth bulge to fuel national advancement. Africa possesses a similar demographic advantage, but we must leverage it through deliberate, technically grounded education, much like China’s methodical approach.
In Shanghai’s Free Trade Zone, the blend of Communist oversight and capitalist ingenuity is startlingly pragmatic. Stephen Davies, writing recently in The Daily Telegraph (15/06/2025), accurately noted that China’s ascent is not merely a rise in economic power but a redefinition of global leadership. China has indeed transcended ideological rigidity, embracing strategies purely because they work. Africa too must discard outdated doctrines and ideologies, instead crafting developmental models woven with African ingenuity and cultural authenticity.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) stands at the cusp of a defining opportunity–a chance to co-visualise and realise our shared renaissance. From Lagos to Dakar, Accra to Bamako, it is imperative we design our future before external forces impose their own visions upon us.
A crucial step in this collective endeavour will be the proposed 2026 ECOWAS Foresight Summit, ideally hosted in Accra. This summit aims to establish Ministries of Strategic Foresight across the region, empowered to draft visionary 25-year master plans that thoughtfully integrate Chinese scale with African context.
Imagine the potential impact of an ECOWAS Tech Advancement Fund, pooling just two per cent of member states’ GDP to co-invest with China–but on distinctly African terms. Picture the effectiveness of a Leapfrog Licensing policy, approving major projects within 48 hours, provided 60 per cent of involved engineers are West African. Such initiatives would transform our regional economic landscape, shifting from passive recipients of foreign technology to active participants, controlling the trajectory of our collective growth.
The cornerstone of this vision rests on two clear principles. First, the “No New Wheels” doctrine insists we avoid redundant innovation in darkness when proven technology exists in the light. Instead, we must steer existing wheels toward distinctly African destinations.
This means adopting China’s efficient rail standards rather than perpetuating outdated colonial gauges, and licensing advanced AI solutions like Baidu’s medical diagnostics–but training these algorithms specifically with Ghanaian disease profiles and data.
Second, the “Wind in Our Sails” strategy views China’s ascent not as a storm to fear but as a favourable wind, capable of elevating African ambitions if harnessed astutely. We should negotiate fiercely for technology transfer clauses in contracts–such as demanding a 30 per cent transfer rate in major infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Ibadan railway–and convert Belt and Road Initiative loans into equity, securing majority African ownership of strategic assets like Ghana’s Takoradi Port by 2030.
Embedded deeply in Ghanaian philosophy is the Akan principle of Nkonsonkonson, symbolising interconnectedness and collective strength. Applying this principle means prioritising community-focused innovation and governance.
Accra’s traffic management artificial intelligence systems could prioritise public transportation, improving community mobility rather than simply enhancing elite convenience. Industrial policies must ensure Ghana’s lithium fuels local battery manufacturing plants in collaboration with giants like CATL, rather than exporting raw materials abroad.
Moreover, cultural heritage can inspire modern innovation. Consider the fusion of traditional Kente weaving techniques with Shenzhen’s 3D printing technology, transforming cultural legacy into powerful engines of economic advancement.
But translating vision into reality requires decisive action from ECOWAS leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens alike. Leaders must ratify the proposed 2026 Foresight Pact during the upcoming Abuja Summit, committing to bold goals such as a Zero Raw Exports policy by 2030, and fostering techno-diplomatic relationships by exchanging ambassadors directly with dynamic Chinese regions like Guangdong and Shenzhen.
My host, Andy Gao, told me very proudly how the Shenzhen governorate had appointed him as a business Ambassador- at- Large, and he was keen to link Shenzhen up with West Africa in a similar way he is doing at the horn of Africa.
Therefore, entrepreneurs must become “Wind Catchers,” seizing opportunities like licensing DJI’s advanced agricultural drones to map Ghana’s farmland, thereby reducing food imports by as much as 40 per cent by 2030. Partnerships with giants like Alibaba can establish Afro-Sino Digital Free Zones, stimulating local manufacturing through significant tax incentives.
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Citizens hold perhaps the most critical role of all: becoming “Wheel Artisans.” We must demand relevant educational initiatives, like dual-language Akan-Mandarin coding academies in every tertiary level education and participate economically by investing in ECOWAS infrastructure bonds through accessibly inter-operable mobile money platforms. Most importantly, citizens must exercise foresight at the ballot box, electing leaders who offer clear blueprints rather than empty slogans, rejecting the divisive falsehood of a West-versus-East narrative.
As I departed Shenzhen, gazing from the plane window at the neon-lit skyline fading into the Pearl River Delta, a place transformed within a single generation, the message became unmistakably clear. China whispers to Africa, “You need no one’s permission to thrive.” We stand at a historic crossroads, our hands grasping wheels that others have invented, propelled forward by the powerful winds of China’s unprecedented rise.
Our future must be authored by Africans, guided by African principles, steered by African hands, but energised by global insights. China’s story of lifting 800 million people from poverty in just four decades is not merely an inspirational tale–it is a practical blueprint for our continent’s own awakening. This is not about becoming China; it’s about becoming a stronger, smarter, and more resilient Africa, ready to steer our course with wisdom, courage, and purposeful unity.
Let China’s ascent be the wind beneath our sails–but Africa, it is we who must steer the ship, hold the compass, and crew the journey. This is our moment. Let us grasp it decisively, building a prosperous future on our own terms, inspired by the world but unapologetically authored by us.
The writer is CEO of Suka Wind and Solar Energy Ltd, Accra.