Africa’s quest for prosperity will continue to stall unless Nigeria steps forward to lead the continent’s economic integration and structural transformation, economists and policy leaders declared on Saturday at the 2025 Paul Alaje Colloquium in Abuja.
The event, themed “Breaking the Cycle: How Nigeria Can Lead Africa from Poverty to Prosperity,” brought together development experts who warned that Africa’s progress depends on dismantling entrenched systemic barriers and embracing unified action.
Speakers opened the session with a blunt assessment of the continent’s challenges, insisting that its problems stem not from scarcity but from persistent structural failure.
Former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, joined the colloquium virtually, saying Africa had for too long been viewed as “a continent brimming with potential yet struggling to achieve outcomes that reflect that promise,” noting that Nigeria sits at the centre of that challenge.
He said the country remained “endowed with talent, abundant resources, and resilient spirits,” but continued to grapple with setbacks in human development.
Despite this, he told participants, “I remain hopeful because I firmly believe in Nigeria’s potential to rise—not only for our own sake but for the sake of Africa as a whole.”
He argued that prosperity is a product of deliberate choices, not luck. “Prosperity does not occur by chance, nor is poverty an unavoidable fate. Nations chart their paths to prosperity through thoughtful choices, steadfast discipline, and accountable leadership,” he said. According to him, Nigeria now has “the opportunity to break the cycle that has held us back for decades.”
Obi outlined “five foundational pillars” which he said Nigeria must adopt to transition “from managing poverty to creating shared prosperity.”
These include: “Shift from Consumption to Production; Prioritise Human Capital; Strengthen Governance and Institutions; Build a 21st-Century Economy Emphasising Innovation and Technology; and Foster National Unity and a Shared Purpose.”
He reiterated his optimism about Nigeria’s future. “I remain hopeful and confident that Nigeria can lead Africa out of poverty, provided we take deliberate steps grounded in accountability and perseverance,” he said.
He argued that other countries had overcome “challenges even greater than ours,” noting that what distinguished them was “visionary leadership, disciplined strategies, and a united populace.”
Obi added, “Nigeria can indeed shine as a beacon of hope for Africa—if we prioritise production over consumption, invest in our people rather than patronage, and build a government that serves rather than extracts.”
Delegates were reminded of the continent’s low level of internal trade, with intra-African commerce still hovering around 14 to 16 per cent despite a population of 1.4 billion.
Speakers linked this to visa restrictions, poor transport links and bureaucratic obstacles that continue to obstruct economic integration.
