Economic Development

Most African countries borrow billions to expand electricity access. Côte d'Ivoire spent 9 years proving households would pay, then let private investors fund the expansion. After building a track record showing 94.5% collection rates, they packaged household payments into bonds and raised $200M from private investors, without adding to government debt. This is what conservative financial innovation looks like.

Côte d'Ivoire dominates global agricultural exports: 45% of cocoa, 40% of cashews, $7-9.8 billion in sales. Yet Ivorians earn just $197 monthly, less than half what Kenyans make. The paradox? Foreign multinationals control processing, repatriating profits abroad. Kenya's farmer-owned cooperatives keep value local. This analysis reveals why agricultural success doesn't translate to household income, and what ownership structures mean for food affordability across Africa.

The narrative sounds familiar: Africa is urbanizing rapidly, and cities will become engines of economic growth. By 2050, two-thirds of Africans will live in urban areas, unlocking a demographic dividend and driving prosperity across the continent. There's just one problem with this story. It's not happening. Instead, Africa is experiencing what economists call "urbanization without industrialization": cities exploding in size without the jobs, infrastructure, or planning

Nigeria increased its minimum wage by 133% in 2024, yet household consumption fell 61%. This reveals a harsh reality: Nigeria's middle class is disappearing. Once comprising 38% of the population in the 2010s, it's now estimated at just 12-19% in 2024. While wages rise nominally, purchasing power collapses under 40% food inflation. In Lagos, 78% of workers earn far below middle-class thresholds. Meanwhile, Nigeria's ultra-wealthy class grows, creating a "barbell economy" with

While West Africa grapples with a coup epidemic, Ghana stands out with remarkable democratic stability. With 60.9% voter turnout despite severe economic crisis, 8 consecutive peaceful elections since 1992, and an exemplary power transition where the incumbent vice president conceded defeat with dignity, Ghana proves democracy can thrive even under difficult conditions. The story offers hope across the region, showing that strong institutions matter more than strong men.

Africa's entrepreneurship narrative celebrates one in five adults starting businesses—the world's highest rate. But this masks economic failure, not dynamism. With 95% of youth in vulnerable employment and only 3 million formal jobs created annually against 8-12 million entering the market, survival entrepreneurship dominates. By 2030, Sub-Saharan Africa needs 15 million jobs yearly—five times current rates. This isn't an entrepreneurial boom; it's a crisis demanding change.