Industrialists, financiers, and political leaders at the Alamein Africa Forum called for an immediate shift toward domestic value addition and regional industrialization, warning that raw material exports and regulatory fragmentation continue to penalize African economies.
Speaking to over 1,500 business delegates, Dangote Group President and Chief Executive Aliko Dangote urged a fundamental reset in how the continent measures economic progress. Dangote argued that GDP growth alone is insufficient if Africa fails to expand its global manufacturing share and build domestic capabilities. He described the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as critical economic infrastructure capable of creating the scale needed for large-scale industrial investments.
Dangote pointed out that fragmented regulations, inconsistent standards, and cumbersome border logistics impose an “African scale penalty” that drives up production costs. He called on governments to harmonize border procedures, treat energy as vital industrial infrastructure, and facilitate the free movement of goods, services, and capital under Dangote Group’s Vision 2030 and wider continental frameworks.
Framing the debate around economic sovereignty, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) President George Elombi stressed the importance of African-owned financial instruments in supporting trade and industry. Elombi highlighted Afreximbank’s track record of deploying rapid liquidity during external shocks—such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine crisis, and the 2026 Gulf crisis—and called on states to defend the bank’s treaty-backed creditor status.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi reaffirmed the central role of the private sector as the primary driver of growth and employment across the continent. Al-Sisi stated that the forum serves as a practical mechanism to bridge information gaps, connect investors with capital, and foster cross-border supply chains.
Supporting the implementation push, AUDA-NEPAD CEO Nardos Bekele-Thomas urged development finance institutions and private capital to focus on project structuring and financial close, aiming to present bankable, investor-ready regional infrastructure projects when the forum reconvenes.
