It’s no longer a quiet shift; it’s a jolt. This year alone, entire country programs have been shuttered, long-standing donor commitments reversed, and critical funding pipelines left in limbo. For those of us in the trenches of global development, it’s not only an inflection point. It’s an acceleration, and the rules are changing mid-race.
Yet in the turbulence lies a rare opportunity, not for louder solutions, but for deeper ones. Solutions grounded in trust, shaped by community, and built to regenerate, not simply respond. This is the moment to trade dependency for durable African leadership.
Aid cuts are not death sentences; They can be the wake‑up call
Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube recently framed the UK’s aid cuts not as a crisis but as a turning point, one that demands deeper self-reliance. His call to action is to grow domestic revenue through mechanisms like health taxes and strategic public-private investment. It’s a reminder that across Africa, the actual shift is not about what’s being withdrawn, but about what we’re ready to build. We can’t keep leaning on external scaffolding. It’s time to invest inward, to mobilise local capital, share local risk, and own the architecture of our future.
Local financial ecosystems need prime focus
Yes, Africa’s low savings rates and underdeveloped capital markets remain hurdles. But the real work now is about shifting the conversation from grants to ground-up financial models that reflect our realities. At ILF 2025 on July 30th in Abuja, we’re spotlighting new thinking: institutional co-investment, locally anchored digital health funds, and public financing mechanisms that give countries a real stake and say. This is not about buzzwords. It’s about building financial systems that are aligned with local priorities and accountable to the people they’re meant to serve.
Systems must be human‑centered, not tech‑driven
Digital health systems do not endure because they’re digital. They endure because they’re designed with the people who use them. That’s why at eHealth Africa, we’ve invested in regional data hubs run by local technologists, not external consultants. When the funding dips, as it often does, those systems still stand. During recent outbreaks, it was not the technology alone that proved resilient. It was the trust and ownership built into the system from day one.
The global south needs its voice in reforming the rules
With developing nations shouldering nearly $29 trillion in sovereign debt, much of it under punishing interest terms, the need for African agency in global financial forums has never been more urgent. As the G20 prepares to convene in Johannesburg later this year with a focus on sustainability and inclusive governance, Africa must do more than attend. We must shape the agenda, define the stakes, and assert a narrative that reflects our realities, not only our resilience.
Collaboration is the actual currency of progress
Progress will not come from friendly competition or fragmented showcases; it will come from collaborative intelligence. Kenya’s Tatu City blends private infrastructure with planned community uplift, offering promise but also raising questions about equity if local voices are sidelined. Meanwhile, leaders like Wanjira Mathai are anchoring climate solutions in community-driven restoration, moving beyond tokenistic aid toward models built on shared ownership and local legitimacy.
The exit from short‑termism
Actual 21st-century transformation is not driven by pilot dashboards or glossy rollouts; it’s grounded in learning loops, rights-based design, and systems that grow stronger over time. We need to move past our fascination with ‘shiny’ technology and ask harder questions like which tools truly worked in context? What failed, and why? Who shaped the design, and who didn’t? That is what makes the ILF different. It’s not a stage for polished success stories. It’s a working table, pan-African, honest, and designed for uncomfortable but necessary conversations.
Digital health must be a catalyst for broader resilience
Across Africa, renewable energy, agro-climate solutions, and e-commerce ecosystems are gaining traction. These are not isolated wins; they signal an opportunity to build connected systems that multiply impact. For digital health, this convergence is critical; solar innovations can power rural clinics, e-commerce infrastructure can streamline last-mile supply chains, and climate data can strengthen epidemic preparedness. At eHealth Africa, we’re seeing the lines blur between energy, health, and finance, and that’s exactly the kind of systemic resilience Africa must build now, not later.
Final thoughts
This moment demands more than resilience; it calls for reimagination. Not only funding strategies, but also ownership structures that are authentically local. Not just consultation, but listening as a discipline. As global financing tightens, the systems that endure will be those anchored in African trust, African priorities, and African agency. Transformation is not imported; it’s co-created. And it starts, always, with learning.
About the Author:
Ota Akhigbe is the Director of Partnerships & Programmes at eHealth Africa, where she drives systems-level transformation through African-led innovation, local capacity, and strategic partnerships. She writes a weekly column for BusinessDay, exploring structural shifts in development, locally grounded leadership, and the future of equitable health systems on the continent.
