Former president of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has urged African leaders to invest in education, healthcare, technology and skills development to transform the continent’s growing youth population into an engine of economic growth. Adesina made the call while delivering the keynote address, titled “Africa Next: Building the Demographics Asset Class,” at…
Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, has called for a fundamental shift in Africa’s development model, urging the continent to move away from dependence on foreign aid toward trade, investment, entrepreneurship and private sector-led growth. Elumelu made the call during a fireside chat held on the sidelines of the 2026 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)…
The United Arab Emirates has become a major economic and strategic force in Africa, through investments in key sectors and a growing involvement in conflicts on the continent – prompting some to describe its approach as imperialist. Through investments in ports and mining, as well as military involvement and support for various players in various…
Many cross-border transactions still rely on the US dollar as an intermediary currency. At the same time, African currencies are often difficult to exchange directly, and few mechanisms exist for countries to settle payments with one another in local currencies. Cross-border payments in Africa remain among the most expensive in the world, despite the rapid…
Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) This statement was originally published on cipesa.org on 16 June 2026. Africa’s digital future is being negotiated away piece by piece – through opaque infrastructure deals, data-sharing arrangements, and political decisions that narrow the space for journalists, civil society, and other stakeholders to gather…
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola says Africa must urgently accelerate regional integration and intra-African trade to shield the continent from external economic shocks and geopolitical instability. Delivering the 2026/27 Budget Vote for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) in Parliament on Tuesday, Lamola said South Africa’s foreign policy remains firmly centred…
Nairobi — President William Ruto has called on African nations to take greater control of their development financing and reduce reliance on foreign aid and unsustainable borrowing, saying the continent must assert its rightful place in global decision-making. Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit on Tuesday, which brought together heads of state, including French President…
For decades, Africa’s place in the global economy was framed through the lens of aid,how much was given, where it went, and whether it made a difference. That narrative is steadily shifting. Across the continent, a more self-directed model is emerging, driven by trade, domestic resource mobilization, and investment. While the transition is uneven, the…
Relying solely on public funding or foreign aid is no longer sufficient to meet Africa’s growing needs, African ministers and investors have said, calling for more private investment to close the continent’s infrastructure gaps. They made the remarks during the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) on November 26, in Rabat, Morocco. ALSO READ: AfDB President urges…
