|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
African leaders and economic experts have intensified calls for the continent to chart its course toward development, as global economic dynamics shift and reliance on foreign aid proves increasingly unsustainable.
At the just-concluded 100 Most Notable Africans Leadership and Business Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, speakers emphasised the urgent need for Africa to harness its vast natural resources, strengthen regional cooperation, and invest in local capacity to drive inclusive growth.
The 2025 edition of the 100 Most Notable Africans Leadership and Business Summit concluded in Kigali with a strong message to African countries: the time has come to look inward and take charge of their economic destinies.
Held in Rwanda’s capital, the summit drew leaders from across the continent who echoed a shared belief that Africa possesses the resources, talent, and capacity to solve its developmental challenges without relying on foreign aid.
Participants at the summit emphasised that African nations must tap into their abundant mineral wealth, agricultural potential, and youthful population to create sustainable solutions that drive industrial growth, reduce poverty, and generate wealth for the continent.
The event served as a platform for raising consciousness among political leaders, policymakers, and business stakeholders on the importance of self-reliance and regional cooperation.
In his address, Kingsley Amafibe, Project Director for the 100 Most Notable Peace Icons Africa, who spoke on the theme “Shaping Africa’s Future Through Collaboration and Partnership”, commended initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a critical step toward unifying the continent’s markets.
According to him, AfCFTA creates a platform for over a billion Africans to trade in a single market, leveraging their respective strengths to complement one another.
Amafibe noted that the summit provided a rare opportunity for industrialists, government officials, and thought leaders to share strategies for a prosperous Africa.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, Ibrahim Zanna, Ambassador representing the Nigerian High Commission in Rwanda, stressed the importance of visionary leadership and strategic alliances that prioritize Africa’s development goals.
He challenged African leaders to invest in systems that strengthen internal capacities rather than continuing to look outward for solutions.
Umar Namadi, Governor of Jigawa State, represented by Haruna Musa, Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), delivered a keynote speech focused on food security as a driver of peace and economic progress.
He expressed concern over the continent’s continued dependence on food imports and underscored the importance of repositioning agriculture as a key revenue earner.
He stated that Jigawa is already investing massively in agriculture, aiming to feed its people and generate export income from agricultural produce.
A wide range of speakers from various sectors participated in the summit, all aligning with the message that Africa must rise and activate its dormant potential.
These included GD Singh, founder and chairman of the Asian-African Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the World Peace Diplomacy Organisation; Imane Kendili, CEO of African Global Health, Morocco; and Dennis Idahosa, Deputy Governor of Edo State.
Others were Sa’adatu Adamu, President of the Psychotherapeutic and Counselling Research Institute; Daniel Moses, founder of Property Wealth Corporation UK; Nicaise Ndembi, Deputy Director General of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine; and Malik Shaffy Lizinde, founder and CEO of 63 Inc.
Additional voices reinforcing the call for African-led development included Chuka Nwachukwu, chairman of Amanda Group; Chinedu Ogwus; Rahim Bah; Femi Joshua; Michael Odere; Cross River State’s Commissioner for Finance, Emmanuel Uduh; Daniel Obah; Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer; and Aisha Adamu Rufai, among many others.
The summit closed with a collective call to action for African nations to harness their internal strengths through collaboration, innovation, and good governance.
