Tinubu urges stronger intra-African trade, investment at Africa CEO Forum

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for deeper economic collaboration among African countries, urging the continent to prioritise intra-African trade, investment and infrastructure development as part of efforts to drive long-term prosperity.

Speaking at the Presidential Panel of the 2026 Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, President Tinubu said Africa could not achieve sustainable economic scale by depending primarily on external markets and partnerships.

“Africa must put Africa first whilst creating opportunities for intra-Africa collaboration between our countries,” the Nigerian leader wrote in a Facebook post on Friday after participating in the event.

“Our continent cannot build scale by looking outward first. We must invest in one another, trade more with one another, build the corridors that connect our markets, ensure our innovative, youthful population get the support they need, and give African businesses the confidence to expand across African borders.”

The two-day forum, held in Kigali on 14 and 15 May, brought together African heads of state, investors and business leaders under the theme: “Scale or Fail: Why Africa Must Embrace Shared Ownership.”

Founded in 2012 by Jeune Afrique Media Group in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Africa CEO Forum has grown into one of the continent’s largest platforms for public-private sector dialogue.

President Tinubu used the platform to defend his administration’s economic reforms, describing them as part of a broader strategy to position Nigeria for a more competitive African economy.

“Nigeria’s reforms are not only about fixing yesterday. They are about preparing our economy to lead in the Africa of tomorrow,” he said.

The Nigerian government has implemented several reforms since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market. While the policies have drawn criticism over rising inflation and cost-of-living pressures, the administration insists they are necessary to stabilise public finances and attract investment.

At the Kigali forum, the president linked Nigeria’s economic direction to broader continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

“With AfCFTA, digital trade, shared infrastructure, stronger logistics, commodities exchange, and deeper private sector partnerships, we can turn Africa’s population and resources into real continental prosperity,” he said.

He also argued that the global financial system should better reflect Africa’s economic realities.

“The global risk and financial architecture must also give Africa a fair deal that recognises our local nuances and contexts,” he added.

Nigeria officially ratified the AfCFTA agreement in 2020. The trade pact, which seeks to create a single African market for goods and services, is widely regarded as one of the continent’s most ambitious economic integration projects.

Analysts, however, have repeatedly pointed to poor infrastructure, border bottlenecks and weak manufacturing capacity as key challenges limiting intra-African trade, which still accounts for a relatively small share of Africa’s total trade volume compared to regions such as Europe and Asia.

President Tinubu also praised Paul Kagame for hosting the summit and acknowledged Rwanda’s development trajectory.

“I thank my brother, President Paul Kagame, for his warm hospitality and for Rwanda’s continued leadership in showing what discipline, clarity and execution can do for development,” he said.

He added that Nigeria would continue strengthening partnerships across the continent.

“Nigeria will continue to work with Rwanda and other African partners to build a continent that produces more, trades more, connects better, and competes with greater confidence in the world.

“Africa’s future will not be handed to us. We must build it, own it, and defend it together.”

President Tinubu’s participation at the forum forms part of broader efforts by his administration to position Nigeria as a leading destination for investment and regional economic cooperation.