President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on African leaders to abandon their reliance on foreign development plans, urging them to adopt policies tailored to the continent’s unique challenges. He stressed that Africa needs leaders who approach policy-making with precision and innovation rather than depending on outdated foreign models.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, made these remarks in Abuja during a symposium in honor of Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the launch of the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement. The event, themed “Renewing the Pan-African Ideal for the Changing Times: The Policy and Leadership Challenges and Opportunities,” also marked Fayemi’s 60th birthday and the unveiling of the book “If This Giant Must Rise: Interventions on Leadership and Governance in Africa.”
Speaking at the event, Tinubu noted that Africa is in an era dominated by technological advancements, and leaders cannot expect progress by relying on outdated strategies.
“Whatever our differences across the continent, one fact that can’t be eroded by our infighting is that we are in the age of machines, and we can’t fight our development dilemma with spears and arrows while the rest of the world is fighting the same battle with missiles and tanks.
“While we parse political rivalries, others parse datasets. While we litigate history, others engineer futures. The train of progress accelerates, yet too many of our leaders cling to old carriages. These are our client-state mentalities, our dependency on foreign blueprints, and our governance by hashtag activism. This is the tragedy of our time.
“The founding of Amandla Institute emerges as an antidote to this paralysis. We are here not only to generate more ideas but to create executors. We need leaders who wield policy as a scalpel, not a slogan. We need visionaries who see AI as a collaborator, not a competitor. We need a generation of Africans who recognise that Pan-Africanism, renewed for this age, must be rooted in actionable sovereignty.”
He noted that Africa’s progress would not come as a gift but must be actively built. He expressed concerns that for too long, the continent has been treated as a consumer rather than a creator, urging governments to empower young people to innovate in technology hubs across Africa.
“But the post-idea world dissolves excuses. With the democratisation of knowledge, we must empower our youth to innovate in tech hubs across the continent, from Cairo, down through Nairobi, to Lagos, building unicorns without the permission of any gatekeepers. What they lack is not ideas but ecosystems—systems where policy, funding, and political will converge to scale their genius,” he noted.
Tinubu urged African leaders to shift their focus from merely holding power to creating platforms that drive progress. He stressed the need for homegrown think tanks like the Amandla Institute to shape trade policies and technological advancements instead of relying on foreign consultants. He also encouraged the institute to present Africa as a strong and collaborative continent rather than one seeking external aid.
“The institute must become a command centre for the continent, turning thinkers into doers, policies into progress, and Pan-African ideals into lived realities,” he stated.
Former Nigerian Head of State Yakubu Gowon also spoke at the event, noting that pan-Africanism can only thrive through locally relevant solutions that address the continent’s specific challenges. Former South African President Thabo Mbeki pointed out that Africa has struggled to meet its development goals due to inadequate resource mobilisation and weak leadership.
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in his vote of thanks, acknowledged that while 60 is considered a retirement age in some countries, he remains committed to fighting poverty and inequality in society.
