President Mahama Urges African Leaders to Pursue Economic Independence Through Value Addition and Accountability
President John Dramani Mahama has called on African leaders to pursue bold reforms aimed at securing the continent’s long-delayed economic independence, stressing the urgency of value addition, transparent governance and deeper regional trade integration.
Speaking at Kenya’s Jamhuri Day celebrations on Friday, December 12, 2025, President Mahama noted that while earlier generations secured political liberation for the continent, today’s leaders must “win economic independence and prosperity” for their citizens.
He argued that Africa’s position in the global economy remains constrained by structures that confine the continent to the export of unprocessed commodities while importing finished goods at higher cost.
“The time has come for us to add value to our exports. The time has come to claim a fairer share of our natural resource endowment. The time has come to provide transparent and accountable leadership,” he remarked.
President Mahama further stressed the need for African governments to harness the dynamism of the continent’s youthful population to drive growth and innovation. He also reiterated the importance of boosting intra-African trade to accelerate industrialisation and reduce dependence on external markets.
“We must increase trade among ourselves, and we recommend a trade protocol within the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he stated.
His comments come at a time when policymakers across the region are pushing for stronger implementation of AfCFTA protocols, enhanced value-chain development and a shift toward domestic processing as a pathway to sustainable economic transformation.
