The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has urged African leaders to reduce dependence on foreign aid and instead adopt bold, home-grown innovations to drive the continent’s transformation and economic independence.
Speaking while delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Innovate Africa Conference, themed “Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment”, held at the ECOWAS Conference Hall, Abuja, on Thursday, Wike said Africa’s future must be shaped by its people, ideas, and institutions—not by the dictates of donor agencies.
“Africa’s future must be crafted not in the conference rooms of donor agencies, but in the creative laboratories, farms, classrooms, and workshops of Africans determined to transform their continent,” Wike declared.
In a statement by the Assistant Director, Press, Office of the Honourable Minister, Rabi Musa Umar, the Minister decried what he termed “poisonous philanthropy,” stressing that Africa must move away from dependency on foreign aid and instead demand opportunities that strengthen its capacity for sustainable development.
“Development cannot be donated; it must be built. No nation or continent has ever achieved greatness through the benevolence of others. Africa must no longer be defined by grants and conditionalities but by ideas, innovation, and indigenous strength,” he said.
Wike highlighted Africa’s youthful population—70 percent of whom are under 30—as a powerful demographic advantage, describing it as “a revolution waiting to happen.” With a population of over 1.4 billion and a combined GDP exceeding $3 trillion, he noted, Africa can no longer be treated as a marginal player in the global economy.
He emphasized that Africa’s greatest resource lies in its people, calling for strategic investments that are productive, inclusive, and transformative, particularly in infrastructure and human capital development.
“The future of Africa lies in the hands of Africans who believe in the power of their own ideas, who speak with one voice, and who are ready to lead, invest, and unite,” he said.
Commending the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a milestone in economic self-reliance, Wike described it as a modern reawakening of the Pan-African vision to replace “aid with trade and dependency with dignity.”
The Minister, however, identified poor and mediocre leadership as Africa’s greatest impediment to progress, urging a shift from transactional to transformational leadership rooted in courage, vision, and accountability.
Citing Nigeria’s recent reforms, Wike praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for exemplifying transformational leadership through his bold decision to remove the fuel subsidy—a move, he said, had begun to yield positive results such as increased revenue for states and reduced debt pressures.
“While previous administrations acknowledged its dangers, none dared to act. Tinubu did,” he said, noting that the infrastructural renewal ongoing across the FCT—including new road networks and urban revitalization projects—reflects what strong political will can achieve.
Wike, who was honoured with the Innovate Africa Leadership Award 2025, dedicated the recognition to President Tinubu and the resilient people of Nigeria, calling for stronger synergy between leadership and followership to accelerate the continent’s transformation.
Earlier, the conference chairman and CEO of Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, said the event sought to mobilize Africans globally to harness the continent’s abundant resources through innovation, visionary leadership, and technology-driven growth.
“Africa has been performing below its potential for decades. This conference is about how leadership and technology can help us leverage our strengths to catch up with the rest of the world,” Ohuabunwa stated.
About The Author
