FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that Africa’s dream of genuine development will remain elusive as long as leadership across the continent remains transactional and self-serving.
Wike made this assertion while delivering a keynote address titled “Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment” at the 2025 Innovate Africa Conference held on Thursday in Abuja.
According to him, Africa’s chronic underdevelopment—despite its immense natural and human resources—is rooted in governance failures and the dominance of leaders who place personal or political interests above national progress.
He lamented that for decades, the continent’s leadership narrative—whether under military regimes or democratic governments—has been dominated by “self-serving conspiracies that bear little or no relation to national interest or development priorities.”
> “Africa today stands at a historic crossroads. On one hand, we are blessed with immense natural wealth, youthful energy, and creative potential; yet, we continue to grapple with weak institutions, infrastructural decay, poverty, and widespread unemployment,” Wike noted.
“This is the paradox of our age—how can a continent so richly endowed remain so constrained?”
The minister identified leadership as the decisive factor that determines whether a nation’s abundance translates into prosperity or stagnation.
> “Leadership remains the fulcrum upon which the destinies of nations turn. When leadership is visionary, accountable, and courageous, even the most daunting obstacles can be transformed into opportunities,” he stated.
Wike called for a deliberate transition from transactional leadership—driven by personal gain and patronage—to transformational leadership that prioritises service, accountability, and courage.
> “The time has come to move beyond transactional leadership to embrace transformational governance that empowers rather than exploits, serves rather than rules, and builds rather than blames,” he urged.
Reflecting on Africa’s post-independence journey, Wike observed that many leaders have often been unprepared for the magnitude of the challenges before them.
> “Consequently, we keep experimenting with the fundamentals of development—basic infrastructure, primary healthcare, credible institutions, and functional economies. The result has been decades of missed opportunities,” he said.
He further stressed the need for leaders across the continent to rediscover the spirit of servant-leadership, rooted in empathy, humility, and collective responsibility.
> “Africa needs servant-leaders—not bosses who command, but mentors who inspire. Leadership is not about power or position; it is about trust, service, and shared purpose.”
Drawing attention to Abuja’s transformation, Wike pointed to the ongoing infrastructural renewal as evidence that vision and political will can produce tangible progress.
> “In Abuja, we have seen how infrastructural renewal, anchored on commitment and accountability, can redefine a city’s identity and inspire public confidence. Roads once impassable now connect communities, and abandoned spaces now thrive with enterprise,” he remarked.
The FCT minister also commended President Bola Tinubu for his “bold and reform-driven leadership,” citing the removal of fuel subsidy as an example of courage that previous administrations lacked.
> “Tinubu demonstrated uncommon courage by confronting Nigeria’s toughest challenge—subsidy removal—a decision that is already yielding dividends in increased revenue for development and economic stability,” Wike said.
He applauded the president’s focus on decentralising governance, strengthening regional development, and fortifying security institutions—initiatives he described as laying the groundwork for a new era of national transformation.
Wike also emphasised the importance of infrastructure as the backbone of sustainable development, describing roads, power, and digital networks as “the arteries through which development flows.”
He highlighted the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a crucial instrument for the continent’s economic resurgence.
> “AfCFTA is not just a trade agreement; it represents Africa’s second liberation—the liberation of its economy. It signifies that Africa will no longer remain a supplier of raw materials or a dumping ground for finished goods,” he explained.
Concluding his address, Wike challenged African leaders and citizens to act with urgency and purpose.
> “Africa’s future will not be given to us; we must build it. History will not remember what we merely dreamed for Africa, but what we did for Africa,” he declared.
NAN
