Adesina Calls for Industrial and Tech Focus in African Growth

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, former African Development Bank Group President, emphasized industrialization and technological innovation as critical for Africa’s economic competitiveness. He urged leaders to prioritize these areas to enhance the continent’s global standing.

Adesina stressed that Africa should shift from raw material exports to value-added production, including manufacturing and building competitive industries. This transition would leverage the continent’s natural resources and youthful population.

He identified key sectors like artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology as areas where African talent must develop capacity to compete internationally. The African Continental Free Trade Area, he noted, could facilitate industrial growth through market integration and investment attraction.