President Bola Tinubu has urged African leaders to abandon their longstanding reliance on external strategies, emphasizing that the continent urgently requires leaders who treat policy as a precise instrument for transformation rather than a mere slogan.
Expressing concern over what he termed “the crisis of our era,” Tinubu criticized African leaders for not only adhering to foreign frameworks but also failing to break free from a mindset of dependency and governance driven by social media trends.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi commemorative symposium and the launch of the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement—centered on the theme “Revitalizing the Pan-African Vision for a Changing Era: Challenges and Opportunities in Policy and Leadership”—the President, represented by Vice-President Senator Kashim Shettima, underscored the need for a shift in approach.
“No matter our differences across Africa, one undeniable truth is that we live in an era defined by technological advancements. We cannot tackle our development challenges with outdated tools while the rest of the world advances with cutting-edge technology. The global community is not waiting for Africa to bridge the gap.
“While we engage in political disputes, others analyze data. While we argue over history, others are designing the future. Progress moves swiftly, yet too many of our leaders remain attached to obsolete strategies. This dependency on external blueprints and governance through fleeting social media trends is a fundamental issue of our time.
“The establishment of the Amandla Institute stands as a response to this stagnation. Our goal is not just to generate ideas but to cultivate leaders who implement them. We need policymakers who see governance as a craft requiring precision, not just rhetoric.
“We need visionaries who recognize artificial intelligence as an ally, not a threat. We must nurture a new generation of Africans who understand that a modernized Pan-African movement must be built on practical sovereignty and action.”
President Tinubu warned against the illusion that Africa’s resurgence will be handed to it as a favor, insisting that it must be actively constructed.
He lamented that African leaders have, for too long, depended on external ideologies and institutions that view the continent’s nations as mere consumers rather than innovators. He stressed the need to empower young Africans to drive technological breakthroughs across the continent.
“The world today leaves no room for excuses. With the widespread accessibility of knowledge, we must equip our youth to lead technological innovation across Africa—from Cairo and Nairobi to Lagos—developing groundbreaking enterprises without waiting for approval from external gatekeepers. Their challenge is not a lack of ideas but the absence of supportive ecosystems where policy, investment, and political will align to propel their creativity,” he emphasized.
The Nigerian leader further called on African leaders to “transition from mere holders of authority to builders of enabling platforms”, envisioning a continent where government institutions actively nurture innovation and progress.
