Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has urged African nations to urgently invest in human capital and ramp up productivity as a strategy to buffer the continent against possible trade disruptions—particularly under a potential second presidency of Donald Trump in the United States.
Obi made this call on Tuesday during the Plenary Session of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) Trade and Investment Summit 2025 in London.
Speaking on the theme Africa's Role in the New Global Economy, Obi stressed that Africa's relevance and resilience in today's shifting global landscape depends heavily on how well it harnesses its youthful population and untapped resources.
He warned that many African countries have not proactively responded to recent shifts in global trade patterns, some of which were triggered by the protectionist policies implemented during Trump's first tenure.
"Despite its vast opportunities, Africa's share of global trade remains at a paltry 2–3%, with its GDP share at about 3%," Obi said, referencing World Trade Organization data. "Africa's GDP per capita stands at just $1,900, compared to about $9,000 in Asia."
He noted that although Africa is the second-largest and most populous continent, with 1.5 billion people and the highest concentration of working-age population globally, these advantages are not translating into economic competitiveness.
Obi highlighted that Africa possesses nearly one billion hectares of uncultivated arable land and over 30% of the world's mineral resources. He added that Africa's food and agriculture market, currently worth $280 billion annually, is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2030.
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"With agriculture at the core of our economic transformation, Africa can become a global agricultural powerhouse and a net exporter of food," he said.
However, he emphasised that unlocking this potential will require leadership that focuses on productivity and value creation.
"What is missing is leadership that can reorder priorities and scale up productivity so that African countries can move into higher levels of value creation," Obi argued. "We have seen promising signs in better-governed African countries, but the challenge is sustaining and scaling up these models across the continent."
He encouraged African leaders to adopt Asia's developmental model, which emphasized investments in education, healthcare, and economic inclusion as critical tools for development—rather than merely importing Western-style institutions.
"This is a junction for transformative change," he concluded. "Africa must rebuild its economies through leadership that focuses on rapid upgrades in productive capacities, especially in education and healthcare, to lift millions out of poverty and seize the opportunities of the new global economy."
The summit brought together global investors, policymakers, and business leaders, highlighting Africa's growing importance in shaping the future of global trade amid geopolitical uncertainty.
