The President, John Dramani Mahama has said that Africa can unlock a $3.4 trillion market by investing in infrastructure.
He believes better roads, energy, and digital systems will boost trade and economic growth across the continent.
Speaking on the third day of the African Prosperity Dialogues, under the theme “Delivering Africa’s Single Market Through Infrastructure: Invest, Connect, and Integrate,” on 1st February, 2025 Mahama stated the crucial role infrastructure plays in creating jobs and opportunities for young people across the continent.
President Mahama stated that they must invest in infrastructure to facilitate trade, improve road networks, develop ports, and enhance digital connectivity.
He added that they must strengthen African supply chains to ensure industries produce goods and services that meet both regional and global standards.
“We must invest in infrastructure to facilitate trade, efficient road networks, ports, and digital connectivity. We must strengthen African supply chains to ensure that our industries produce goods and services that meet both regional and global standards,” he said.
“We must harmonize our trade policies to eliminate nontariff barriers and reduce the cost of doing businesses across borders”
The President of Ghana, John Mahama, further stated that it is necessary for Africans to move beyond being exporters of raw materials and become producers of finished goods.
He added that whether it is cocoa in Ghana, oil in Nigeria, copper in Zambia, or diamonds in Botswana, it is essential to process and add value to these natural resources.
“We must move beyond being exporters of raw materials to become producers of finished goods. Whether it is cocoa in Ghana, oil in Nigeria, copper in Zambia, or diamonds in Botswana, we must process and add value to our natural resources.”
According to him, this will create sustainable jobs for young people.
“By doing so, we will not only increase our share of global trade but also create sustainable jobs for our people, especially our young people.”
