Experts have called for collective action, accountable leadership, and sustained investment in human capital and infrastructure to accelerate Africa’s development and bridge the gap between policy declarations and tangible outcomes across the continent.

The call was made at the seventh Arthur Mbanefo Lecture held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where stakeholders from academia, government, and the private sector examined Africa’s development pathways.

Delivering the lecture titled “Illuminating Africa: From Rhetoric to Results – The Why, the How, the Who, and the When,” the Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina, said Africa’s core challenge is not a lack of ideas or ambition, but the persistent failure to translate plans into measurable development outcomes.

He noted that while successive African leaders have produced strategies, communiqués, and vision documents, the gap between intention and implementation remains one of the continent’s most persistent development challenges.

According to him, Africa is at a defining moment shaped by rapid urbanisation, technological advancement, and growing global recognition of the continent as a potential driver of economic growth rather than merely a recipient of aid. He highlighted that Africa’s youthful population remains its greatest asset, noting that more than 60 per cent of Africans are under the age of 25, making the continent one of the youngest in the world.

However, he warned that without adequate investment in education, skills development, job creation, and functional institutions, the demographic advantage could become a liability rather than a strength. Adesina stressed the need to build effective systems that deliver reliable services in key sectors such as energy, healthcare, transportation, and justice.

He said development should not be measured only by the existence of infrastructure such as roads, bridges, ports, and power supply, but by how effectively such systems improve the daily lives of citizens. Adesina identified trust, collaboration, human capital development, infrastructure, policy consistency, and innovation as key pillars required to build a sustainable and competitive African economy.
According to him, trust remains the invisible infrastructure of development, noting that no society can progress where citizens, institutions, and investors lack confidence in systems and leadership.

He further called for stronger collaboration among governments, the private sector, academic institutions, and citizens, stressing that no single actor can achieve meaningful development alone.

“Africa will not be transformed by a handful of leaders at the top, but by millions of deliberate citizens who choose responsibility over apathy and action over complaints,” he said.

Adesina also cited Rwanda as an example of national transformation driven by collective responsibility, strong institutions, and consistent policy implementation, noting that the country’s progress demonstrates what is possible when societies embrace discipline and shared purpose.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr Segun Aina, described the lecture as a timely platform for reflection on Africa’s development trajectory, noting that the continent must prioritise innovation, research, and knowledge creation to remain globally competitive. He said universities and research institutions must evolve beyond traditional roles to become drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship, and policy solutions.

Aina also called for deeper collaboration between academia, government, industry, and civil society to ensure that ideas generated in intellectual spaces are translated into practical solutions that impact society.

In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Folasade Ogunsola, paid tribute to the late Mbanefo, describing him as a visionary statesman whose legacy continues to shape education, research, and national development. Ogunsola noted that the establishment of the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre remains a lasting symbol of his commitment to knowledge creation and institutional development.

She said the annual lecture series not only honours his memory but also reinforces the university’s commitment to scholarship, innovation, and addressing contemporary development challenges.