Scholars, policymakers and industry leaders have called for evidence-based leadership, climate-smart innovations and deep structural reforms across education, agriculture and waste management to address the critical bottlenecks hindering Africa’s socio-economic progression.The call came during the 2026 Africa at the Centre convening in Accra, Ghana, where experts argued that Africa’s development challenge is fundamentally a leadership challenge. They urged administrators to become talent developers and innovation catalysts, moving beyond externally defined priorities to place African leadership, knowledge and agency at the heart of systems change.
Across discussions, leaders stressed the need to move beyond exporting raw materials, including critical minerals and talent, to developing local processing, manufacturing and value chains that create jobs and retain more economic value on the continent. The shift reflects a growing consensus that Africa must control its development agenda, resources and decision-making processes.
Presidential Special Envoy for Reparations, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, called for development models anchored in African confidence, innovation and strategic leadership. He urged stronger African institutions and leadership committed to long-term development, with governments, civil society, academia and the private sector working together to build systems that reflect African realities and aspirations.
Experts also called on African governments to bridge the gap between policies and their implementation, particularly to ensure that interventions in health, education and economic inclusion translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives. They noted that aid, philanthropy and social transfers alone cannot meet the continent’s development needs, urging governments to invest in sectors capable of creating wealth and jobs.
The call for a policy shift extends to climate-smart innovations and structural reforms in education, agriculture and waste management. By integrating these sectors into a broader development strategy, African countries can address multiple challenges simultaneously and build more resilient economies.
Professor Bonang Mohale argued that Africa already has significant natural resources, human capital and economic potential, but stressed that these advantages do not automatically translate into development. The continent’s development challenge, he said, cannot be separated from the way its leaders and institutions think about resources.
For Africa, the message is clear: development requires not just more resources, but a new way of thinking and leading. The challenge now is to translate these calls into concrete action and measurable outcomes that improve livelihoods across the continent.
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