The Africa Debate 2025 held in London offered a defining moment to reflect on the evolution of Africa’s institutions in an increasingly complex global environment. Among the most compelling conversations at this year’s edition was a fireside chat between Professor Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and Mr Strive Masiyiwa, Executive Chairman of Econet Group. Moderated by Karen Taylor, Executive Chair of Invest Africa Ltd, the session brought into sharp focus the question: how should African institutions be reimagined to deliver prosperity and resilience for future generations?
Framed by shifting global trade dynamics, the acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the continent’s youthful demographic profile, the dialogue offered timely insight into how institutional frameworks must adapt to catalyse inclusive development. As both speakers noted, Africa is no longer merely a repository of potential; it is now a continent where transformation is underway, led increasingly by African-born initiatives and leadership.
The session opened with a tribute to Professor Oramah’s enduring contribution to Africa’s development over the past three decades. Under his stewardship, Afreximbank has emerged as one of the continent’s most transformative multilateral financial institutions. Among its most notable achievements are the creation of Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the establishment of cross-border industrial parks, strategic support for the implementation of AfCFTA, and the development of large-scale trade platforms such as the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF). These efforts have not only facilitated trade but also redefined how African economies collaborate to scale industrial output and value-added trade.
In recognition of his impact, Professor Oramah was awarded the 2025 Visionary Leadership Award during the event. The honour reflects his consistent commitment to African-led solutions and his role in reinforcing the principles of Pan-African integration. His widely quoted remark during the session — “Potential opens the door, but products and solutions must walk through it” — captured the prevailing sentiment that vision alone is insufficient without execution and delivery.
The conversation delved into the foundational qualities that define effective leadership for African institutions. Both Oramah and Masiyiwa emphasised vision, execution capacity, deep contextual intelligence, and an unshakeable belief in Africa’s inherent capacity to determine its developmental trajectory. Masiyiwa, a long-standing advocate for digital infrastructure and scalable African entrepreneurship, urged the next generation of leaders to commit themselves to truly understanding the continent — not simply in a policy or economic sense, but as a lived and dynamic space of innovation, challenge, and opportunity.
Professor Oramah’s commentary on institutional evolution was grounded in both historical perspective and forward-looking analysis. He argued that African institutions must not replicate external models uncritically but instead evolve structures that are fit for purpose in a continental context. This includes developing mechanisms for cross-border financing, regional innovation ecosystems, and market-driven industrial policies — all of which Afreximbank has sought to promote through its interventions.
Masiyiwa echoed this perspective, highlighting the need for institutions that can nurture entrepreneurship, technology-driven solutions, and scalable public-private partnerships. He noted that institutional legitimacy in Africa increasingly hinges on responsiveness, delivery capacity, and transparency, particularly in a digitally connected environment where public trust must be continually earned.
Africa’s institutional future was framed not as a matter of structural reform alone, but of purpose-driven design. With a projected population of 2.5 billion by 2050, and more than 70% under the age of 35, the continent’s institutions must be architected to serve a population that is both dynamic and aspirational. That requires not only administrative agility but also investment in digital governance, education systems, innovation financing, and policy coherence across regional blocs.
The fireside dialogue further acknowledged the continent’s deepening engagement with multilateral systems. As AfCFTA continues to gain momentum, institutions such as Afreximbank, the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), and regional economic communities must collaborate to harmonise standards, promote interoperability, and ensure that continental integration translates into measurable benefits for citizens and businesses.
At its core, the discussion served as a reminder that African institutions are not static relics of the post-colonial era, but evolving platforms of action, increasingly shaped by Africans themselves. Institutions, the speakers agreed, must be agile, self-renewing, and anchored in the principle of delivering tangible value to the communities they serve.
The Africa Debate 2025 concluded with a powerful reaffirmation of this message: Africa’s institutional evolution is not being written elsewhere. It is being authored from within — by practitioners, visionaries, and citizens who understand the stakes and are equipped with the resolve to lead.
