Africa: Leadership, governance and strategy in a changing global order

By Adefemi Fapohunda

THE era of tariffs, supply chain realignment, and shifting trade agreements has reshaped the rules of global engagement. While it presents its own set of challenges, it also ushers in a new phase of global opportunities where education, technology, research, and entrepreneurship must converge to drive economic growth. In this new era, companies and corporations are increasingly influencing global foreign policy in ways that extend beyond the conventional authority of nation-states. This disruption marks a decisive break from the frameworks that have long governed world trade and development, signaling the dawn of a new economic order—one that redefines the principles of commerce, investment, and global cooperation. At the wake of this era, Africa stands at the threshold of a historic turning point. The most critical chapter of the continent’s rise is being written not only in boardrooms or government corridors, but in classrooms, innovation hubs, and communities where the next generation of African leaders is being shaped.

As a development expert with over 15 years of experience in diplomacy, international development, and strategic investment and with a career including service with the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the U.S. Department of State, and leading high-level international conferences connecting African leaders, U.S. policymakers, and global investors, I have seen firsthand how aligned policy, capital, and innovation can unlock transformative change. In her words, we are entering an era where private capital, public policy, and civic values must align alongside human capital, innovation capacity, and strong institutions to create solutions that address society’s most pressing challenges. Through strategic diplomacy, these outcomes can be replicated in collaboration with global stakeholders, creating lasting impact across sectors and borders. Adefemi explores the intersection of business and government as a catalyst for sustainable solutions to complex challenges. Her vision is to bridge policy and enterprise, creating enabling environments where innovation can flourish as a catalytic pathway for sustainable development. She is deeply committed to building strategic global partnerships that not only attract investment but also channel resources into high-impact local innovations. By leveraging international networks, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and aligning development goals with market opportunities, she aims to position African enterprises to compete, scale, and thrive in the global economy, transforming local potential into globally recognized success stories.

For developing countries, particularly those historically dependent on grants, aid, and concessional lending, the current global transformation is both a challenge and a generational opportunity. The age of handouts is giving way to an age of fiscal investment value, where measurable returns, transparent governance, and scalable solutions are the currency of global partnership.

At the heart of this shift is the reality that, with a rapidly growing youth population, nations must urgently create pathways that harness this demographic dividend. By investing in education, skills development, and entrepreneurship by fostering innovation-driven economies, developing countries can transform youthful energy into a powerful engine for sustainable growth. Although Africa must pursue industrialization to secure long-term prosperity, technology remains a powerful lever to accelerate innovation, enhance productivity, and integrate African economies into global value chains. Adefemi’s academic journey from Harvard Kennedy School to the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Kendall Square ecosystem has strengthened her conviction that Africa’s progress depends on bridging business and government to drive systemic, sustainable solutions. Today, her work focuses on systems thinking, forging international partnerships that support local innovation, strengthen governance, and empower the next generation to lead, not merely follow. Investment is key to building systems that truly serve the people.

Systemic investing—mobilising all forms of capital: financial, human, social, natural, and institutional—offers a path forward. This approach delivers more than profit; it nurtures democracy, strengthens governance systems, and improves quality of life. Therefore, investing in systems rather than isolated projects recognizes that economies cannot thrive without stable institutions. When governance delivers tangible dividends—better infrastructure, equitable access to services, and genuine economic opportunities, it strengthens the social contract and earns the trust of the people. In Africa, where youthful energy is abundant, systemic thinking can channel that energy into innovation, job creation, and nation-building. According to her, this is simply inevitable; to survive this next era of global development our national policies adopt this approach.

According to her, it is eminent that Africa must embrace strategic diplomatic and lateral alignment rooted in commerce. In a world where multilateralism is under strain, alliances that cut across regions and sectors—government-to-government, business-to-business, and people-to-people—will shape the continent’s negotiating power. Strengthening trade agreements and fostering cohesion among African states through frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is essential to enabling the continent to negotiate and compete as a unified economic bloc. This is not simply about securing deals; it is about positioning Africa as an indispensable partner in the reimagined global value chain, with Nigeria demonstrating the capacity to deliver both stability and opportunity. The time to move from frameworks to action is now.

Emerging pathways for Africa’s growth span several strategic, high-impact areas. Supply chain diversification presents a key opening: as major economies seek to de-risk their supply chains, African nations with political stability, competitive labour, and robust logistics can secure stronger positions in global production networks. In bilateral trade and industrialisation, the future will favour countries that negotiate trade deals anchored not only in exports but also in technology transfer, skills development, and infrastructure co-investment. Development finance is evolving, with capital increasingly flowing toward blended finance, impact investing, and sovereign co-funding. This shift makes it critical for African countries to align national strategies with investor priorities, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and develop bankable project pipelines. The green and digital transitions provide twin pathways to leapfrog development. By investing in human capital, digital infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems, Africa can position itself as a leader in sustainable energy, climate-smart agriculture, fintech, and health tech. The possibilities are vast—but translating them into results will require deliberate, coordinated action.

From Lagos to Kigali, Nairobi to Accra, young Africans are already building enterprises, leveraging technology, and driving social innovation. Yet the scale of transformation required demands more than individual brilliance. It calls for leaders who can connect grassroots energy with continental and global platforms, ensuring Africa not only participates in shaping the rules of engagement but also helps to set them. Across the continent, both emerging and established leaders are charting new paths, uniting diverse stakeholders, and anchoring strategies in inclusive, future-focused governance. Their collective work is a testament to what is possible when leadership is visionary, accountable, and committed to shared progress.

Within the present uncertainties lie opportunities for development. Africa’s moment has arrived. The continent must now transition from being seen as a recipient of global goodwill to being recognized as a co-creator of global prosperity. This will require reforms that unlock domestic capital, attract foreign investment, and forge partnerships built on mutual value rather than dependency. The metrics of success in this new era will be clear: governments that deliver dividends to their people, institutions that inspire trust, economies that compete globally, and leaders who understand that strategic relevance, not sympathy, secures lasting influence.

The question is not whether Africa’s next generation will rise to meet the challenge, it is whether we will equip them with the tools, trust, and platforms to lead boldly. In this decisive moment, systemic investing, good governance, and strategic alignment are not optional; they are the only path forward.

•Fapohunda is currently a visiting Fellow at MIT researching systemic investing in Africa at the Sloan sustainability Initiative.

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