President John Dramani Mahama has urged African leaders to put economic independence and prosperity at the forefront of their agendas, stressing the importance of value addition, accountable governance, and stronger regional trade.
Delivering an address at Kenya’s Jamhuri Day celebrations on Friday, December 12, 2025, President Mahama stated, “Our forebearers won political independence for us. It is now the duty of today’s African leadership to secure economic independence and prosperity for our people.”
He pointed out that Africa continues to face structural disadvantages in the global economic system, where the continent is largely positioned as a supplier of unprocessed raw materials while relying on imports for finished goods.
“The time has come for us to add value to our exports. The time has come to claim a fairer share of our natural resource endowment. The time has come to provide transparent and accountable leadership,” he emphasized.
President Mahama also called on African nations to tap into the creativity and potential of their youth while boosting intra-African trade. “We must increase trade among ourselves, and we recommend a trade protocol within the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he added.
