President John Dramani Mahama has urged African economies to anchor industrialisation on value addition, warning that the continent’s continued reliance on raw commodity exports is undermining growth and job creation.
Speaking at the inaugural Africa Trade Summit 2026, the President criticised Africa’s long-standing pattern of exporting unprocessed natural resources while importing finished goods.
He noted that the imbalance weakens domestic industries, limits employment opportunities, and constrains sustainable economic development.
“For decades, Africa has exported cocoa, oil, cotton, timber, and minerals in their raw forms only to re-import finished goods made from these same products at many times their original value. This module has deprived our economies of jobs, technologies, and revenue.
“Consider cocoa, for which Ghana is one of the leading producers. Africa produces most of the world’s cocoa yet captures only small faction of the value of the global chocolate market,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the African Trade Chamber, Sam Jonah, has urged African countries to urgently and decisively implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), warning that delays could weaken the continent’s competitiveness in a rapidly changing global economy.
He stressed that AfCFTA must move beyond policy commitments to practical execution, positioning it as a catalyst for industrialisation, intra-African trade and sustainable economic growth.
“Let’s be selfish yes, but in a way that uplifts all Africans, creating jobs and wealth that will circulate. To achieve this, we must turn inward, fiercely inward looking, harnessing our inner strength rather than chasing external validation,” he emphasised.
