“Africa must end the exports of its raw materials. The export of raw materials is the door to poverty. The export of value-added products is the highway to wealth. And Africa is tired of being poor.”
President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has reiterated his call for African nations to stop exporting raw materials, describing the practice as a major contributor to the continent’s economic struggles.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Adesina stated: “Africa must end the exports of its raw materials. The export of raw materials is the door to poverty. The export of value-added products is the highway to wealth. And Africa is tired of being poor.”
The former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture warned that exporting unprocessed commodities deprives Africa of jobs, industrial growth, and wealth creation.
“Africa’s current economic model, where we ship out raw materials and import finished goods at higher prices, is unsustainable,” he said.
His remarks align with ongoing efforts to promote industrialisation, intra-African trade, and economic self-reliance across the continent.