Africa’s greatest asset isn’t hiding beneath the surface; it walks our streets. Earlier this month at the Ibrahim Governance Weekend in Marrakech, I was once again struck by the energy, creativity and resilience of our young people. They are the future of our continent, but they cannot build that future alone. 

The global landscape is shifting fast. International aid is drying up. The global order that once supported development is under pressure. Meanwhile, Africa is burdened by rising debt, limited fiscal space, and a growing investment gap. But this is not the time for despair. It is a time for us Africans to act.

As I lay out in my recent Financial Times article, we need to stop waiting for others to invest in us. Africa must invest in itself, and this starts with governance. When we govern well, we unlock investment, grow stable economies, and deliver better outcomes for citizens. It’s how we turn natural wealth – from minerals to renewable energy potential – into shared prosperity.

It’s personal

As a business founder, I’ve seen how global perceptions of risk can block investment in Africa. But I’ve also seen how governance changes that. That’s why I’ve spent nearly twenty years through the Mo Ibrahim Foundation working to make African governance more visible, measurable and accountable. And why, as a B Team Leader, I’ve been proud to support efforts that move this work from principle to practice.

In fact, it was during our 2017 Ibrahim Governance Weekend that The B Team Responsible Tax Principles were first conceived – a collaborative effort with multinational CFOs and tax leads to raise standards on transparency, accountability and fairness in tax practices. Today, those principles are endorsed by some of the world’s largest companies and are the foundation of a new partnership between The B Team and the International Finance Corporation, focused on scaling the adoption of responsible tax practices in Africa.

Ambition into action

We Africans don’t lack ambition – we lack access to the tools that can turn ambition into action. Better tax governance, smarter contracts, and fairer investment rules are all within reach, but they require cross-sector leadership. That’s why the partnerships forged at our latest governance weekend matter so much.

As we look toward the UN Financing for Development Conference at the end of this month, let’s remember that development will not be delivered to Africa, it must be built by us, Africans. With the right governance, investment and leadership, the prosperity we all seek is within reach. It’s time to bet on Africa again – and win.

Mo Ibrahim is Founder & Chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and a B Team Leader. Learn more about Mo.

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