Africa Needs Its Own Plans to Thrive

I was on LinkedIn recently when I saw this bold headline: “Everyone has a plan for Africa, except Africa.” At first, I was drawn in by the headline and thought, wow, that's a strong statement. The article that followed backed this up by talking about how Africa interacts with other countries and pointed out the divisions within Africa itself.

So yes, the headline grabs attention. But it can also be misleading. It reminds me of the saying: don’t judge a book by its cover.

What matters more to me is not what the writer argues. Instead, the headline made me think: what has Africa missed out on because it often trusts outside solutions more than its own abilities?

I wonder what happened to the Pan-African movement. It was a time when strong ideas about African self-determination were shared and often acted upon. Sadly, many early supporters of these ideas were removed or sidelined, sometimes with help from other Africans and outside forces with their own goals in Africa.

The irony is hard to miss!

There is nothing wrong with other countries having plans for Africa. In fact, it would be strange if they didn’t. China will set its own terms with Africa based on its interests. The United Kingdom will look out for British interests. The European Union, the United States, India, Türkiye, the Gulf states and others will approach Africa based on their own strategic, economic and political goals.

Isn’t that what countries do?

The real issue is not why others have plans for Africa. It’s whether Africa has enough unity to engage with those plans based on clear African needs.

And yes, that should be the goal: an African plan that includes all other plans.

When we look at major challenges in Africa, like infrastructure, trade, food security, energy, technology and human resources, there are many declarations, protocols, and strategies. Africa has the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Development Bank, Regional Economic Communities, Agenda 2063 and many development plans at continental, regional and national levels.

Clearly, Africa has a plan!

The Pan-African project must face its toughest challenge: its own weaknesses. Africa’s future will not be shaped mainly by speeches about African unity. It will be shaped by whether African governments can turn shared goals into real development: working transport systems, better payment options, and smooth borders…

So why does it seem like Africa lacks a plan? Why do others seem able to push their agendas in Africa? From where I stand, Africa seems to lack collective will, proper coordination and consistent action.

Maybe the saying that “everyone has a plan for Africa except Africa” shows the symptom but misses the real problem.

The early Pan-African idea was more than just an emotional call for unity. At its best, it was about agency: the belief that Africans should have the political, economic and institutional power to shape their own development.

Independence was never just about changing flags. It was meant to be a base for economic change, deeper cooperation, and a stronger African voice in the world.

Africa is not just a place with a unique people and history. It has the largest number of independent states of any continent. Yet it struggles to turn this collective power into real political and economic influence. Somewhere along the way, the idea of Pan-Africanism seems to have focused more on symbolism than on building a solid economic and institutional base.

Since the African Union was formed, African leaders have come together for shared goals but often return home to focus on their own narrow interests. Countries agree on regional integration but still put up barriers against their neighbors. Governments celebrate the AfCFTA while trucks get stuck at borders, customs systems don’t connect well, and businesses find it hard to move goods across Africa.

So there is a big difference between agreeing on a shared dream and building the systems needed to make it happen.

And this work needs to start within each country. Continental strength can only come from strong individual nations. Good national institutions, healthy economies, effective infrastructure and working local markets will add up to continental power.

The Pan-African project has to face its biggest challenge: its own weaknesses. Africa’s future won’t be shaped just by speeches about unity. It will depend on whether African governments can turn shared dreams into everyday actions like transport, payment systems, strong borders, productive industries, reliable energy, skilled workers, better financial markets, and institutions that work across borders.

That is how Pan-Africanism can move from just talk to real action.

This journey of self-discovery is part of development. There will always be chances to learn from others. But the need for self-discovery in building local capacity cannot be ignored. An imported solution may show us what worked somewhere else; it cannot give us the full picture of why it worked, how it changed or what must adapt for it to work here.

Another part of the problem is that African policymakers often trust solutions from other places. We copy development models. We import institutional designs. We take on policy frameworks from abroad. We hire consultants to explain what has worked in successful countries and sometimes act like development is just about copying those plans.

But development rarely works like that; there is no one-size-fits-all solution!

The issue is not learning from others. Every successful economy learns from others. The problem arises when copying replaces local adaptation and learning. This often happens when domestic institutions fail to build their own problem-solving skills. The urge to seek ready-made solutions becomes stronger.

Institutions are not just structures that can be moved from one place to another. Each successful model comes with a history of trials, errors, adjustments, political deals and learning. Before a model looks successful, there is often a hidden journey of failures, learning, commitment and focus on specific goals.

This matters because if we bring in models without enough involvement from local actors or adjustments to local needs, we may get the outer structure without the skills needed to make it work.

That is why stumbling should not always be seen as failure; we learn by trying. Institutions grow through repeated trials. Policies change when they face realities that were not expected. Governments find out what their economies can produce well, which skills are missing and which actions lead to unexpected outcomes.

This journey of self-discovery is part of development. There will be chances to learn from others. But the need for self-discovery in building local capacity cannot be overlooked. An imported solution can tell us what worked elsewhere; it cannot automatically give us the knowledge of why it worked, how it changed or what needs to change for it to work here.

And, that is where Africa needs to start looking inward; not to cut itself off from the world, but to build the skills needed to engage on its own terms.