A Call for African Self-Reliance and Dignity
Former Senate President of Nigeria, Bukola Saraki, has emphasized the urgent need for African leaders to move away from economic and institutional dependency, advocating instead for a path of self-reliance, innovation, and prosperity. His remarks came during a keynote address at the Democracy Union for Africa Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, under the theme “Navigating Africa’s Strategic Position in a Multipolar World: Towards Equitable and Mutually Beneficial Partnerships.”
Saraki highlighted that more than six decades after independence, the project of full sovereignty—economic, political, and intellectual—remains incomplete. He stressed the importance of ending the mindset that progress must come from elsewhere and building institutions that can outlive individuals.
The session titled “Ending Dependency: Rethinking Africa’s Path to Prosperity” brought together policymakers, scholars, and development leaders across the continent. The discussions focused on how Africa can overcome its challenges and redefine its future.
Africa’s Unfinished Independence
Saraki pointed out that many African economies still reflect colonial designs, with systems of extraction and export that leave raw materials at minimal value and return as finished goods that command prices beyond their control. He warned that the continent’s young population and vast resources could either become a source of prosperity or a source of unrest and wasted promise, depending on how leaders respond.
He traced Africa’s dependency back to inherited colonial systems that prioritized control over development. Many post-independence governments failed to build strong, accountable institutions, leading to weak governance and entrenched dependency. Saraki noted that when institutions are weak, vision is easily short-circuited, and dependency becomes deeply rooted.
Weak Institutions and Leadership Deficits
Saraki criticized the lack of strong institutions and leadership deficits across the continent. He argued that executive dominance, weak parliaments, and politicized judiciaries have undermined sustainable growth. He also faulted successive African leaders for pursuing power over purpose, stating that leadership has too often been treated as possession rather than stewardship.
He called for visionary and ethical governance that transcends politics and prioritizes continuity. “Leadership has too often been treated as possession rather than stewardship,” he said, emphasizing the need for governance that focuses on long-term development.
Aid, Loans, and Misaligned Priorities
Saraki cautioned against Africa’s overreliance on aid and concessionary loans. He revealed that while serving in Nigeria’s Senate, he faced political pushback for demanding accountability on foreign loans. “Many of these loans are accepted as if they are free gifts, yet repayment obligations remain,” he said. He criticized donor-driven development models that serve external interests, citing examples where aid priorities neglected local needs such as malaria prevention.
Seizing a Multipolar Opportunity
As the world transitions from a unipolar to a multipolar system, Saraki argued that Africa must shape its own future rather than be shaped by others. He emphasized that the continent’s resources, youthful population, and renewable potential position it as one of the most coveted investment frontiers. “The question is: will we let the world define our future—or will we define it ourselves?” he asked.
Dismantling Dependency: The Pillars of Change
Saraki outlined a comprehensive roadmap for Africa’s transformation, anchored on economic diversification, institutional reform, and mindset change. He said the continent must replace extraction with production, strengthen domestic finance, drive industrialization, deepen regional trade, mobilize capital, invest in human capacity, and rebuild governance systems from the ground up.
He urged African nations to stop exporting raw materials and focus on value addition. For instance, Africa accounts for 70% of global cocoa output yet captures less than 5% of the $130 billion global chocolate market. “We export bauxite at $65 per ton and import aluminium at $2,300 per ton. We dig for others to profit,” he said.
Saraki also called for stronger domestic resource mobilization, citing the growth of Afreximbank from $6 billion to $44 billion in assets as evidence that African-led finance can fund African ambitions. “No nation has ever achieved sustainable development on borrowed capital,” he said, stressing that local capital formation and financial discipline are key to independence.
Industrialisation and Export-Led Growth
Industrialization and export-led growth were identified as central to Africa’s economic renewal. Manufacturing currently contributes about 12% to Africa’s GDP, but Saraki argued it must rise to at least 20%. This requires investments in industrial parks, reliable energy systems, and vocational education. “Industrialization is not simply about factories—it is about dignity,” he said.
With intra-African trade still below 15%, the African Continental Free Trade Area must move from policy to practice. “No region has ever prospered by trading little with itself,” he said, urging the harmonization of regulations, customs, and transport systems to make trading across African cities seamless.
Mobilising Local and Diaspora Capital
Mobilizing local and diaspora capital was another pillar of self-reliance. Africans abroad remitted $95 billion in 2024—almost matching foreign direct investment. “This shows enduring trust and connection. Africans must invest in Africa,” he said, calling diaspora and domestic capital “a declaration of independence.”
With 60% of Africans under 20, Saraki said the continent’s youth are its greatest resource. “A youthful population is not automatically a dividend; it is a duty,” he said. He urged governments to prioritize investment in STEM education, digital skills, and entrepreneurship, describing innovation as the key to Africa’s transformation.
Leadership, Governance, and Electoral Reform
Saraki concluded that leadership, governance, and electoral reform remain the foundation for every other change. “Good governance is strategic capital,” he said, urging African countries to strengthen electoral systems and judicial independence. He described these institutions as “the twin engines of Africa’s renewal.”
A Call for a New African Renaissance
Saraki ended his address with a call for a continental rebirth built on dignity, innovation, and shared vision. “The future we seek will not be given—it must be claimed,” he declared. “Africa’s destiny will not be defined in the boardrooms of Washington, Beijing, or Brussels, but in the imagination and conviction of Africans themselves.”
He challenged the next generation to believe that nothing is impossible and to reclaim Africa’s narrative. “Let this be the chapter where dependency ends and dignity begins,” he said. “Let this be the chapter where Africa no longer waits to be invited to the global table, but confidently crafts its own and sets the agenda.”
