African leaders and financial experts gathered at the Global Investment Summit on Africa, held in the United Arab Emirates, stated that the continent does not need aid, but rather investment to stimulate economic growth, especially at this critical moment.
In the session entitled “Government and the Future of Investment: An African Perspective,” Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; Benvinda Levi, Prime Minister of Mozambique; and Akinwumi Adesina, 8th President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, examined strategies for how the continent can unlock private capital at a crucial moment in its economic transformation.
In his speech, Adesina argued that the moment calls for decisive change, moving away from foreign aid-based development and toward investment-driven growth. “The estimated $6 trillion in critical minerals and natural resources on the continent must be converted into structured, revenue-generating investment opportunities,” he explained.
He pointed out that the success of African and global corporations operating across the continent, strong returns on infrastructure assets, and Africa’s low correlation with global public markets position Africa as an attractive destination for long-term investors.
“Africa is not optional; Africa is inevitable,” he said, emphasizing that the continent’s leadership is aligned in its goal to move up the value chains and position itself as one of the world’s most attractive regions for sustainable, long-term investment.
For her part, Samia Suluhu described the strategies Tanzania has implemented to attract capital, emphasizing policy consistency, regulatory reform, and large-scale infrastructure investment. She further detailed that major transportation projects, particularly rail and maritime, have contributed to increased revenue and stimulated development by connecting countries such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“These reforms have created a more predictable and attractive investment environment,” said the minister, noting that investment projects registered in Tanzania have increased from around 250 in 2018 to almost 970 today, with investment values rising from $3.8 billion to almost $12 billion.
In turn, Prime Minister Levi of Mozambique highlighted initiatives related to structuring large-scale investments in energy and infrastructure, citing the resumption of the Mozambique LNG project led by TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil’s Rovuma LNG, floating LNG platforms operated by Eni, and a new $5 billion hydroelectric partnership.
According to Benvinda Levi, Africa’s challenge is not a lack of resources, but rather bridging the gap between those resources and global capital through better governance, risk mitigation, and project structuring.
