The League of African Ambassadors (LAA) has called for a renewed commitment to Africa’s industrial development, urging the continent to shift decisively from exporting raw materials to producing finished goods if it hopes to overcome poverty and underdevelopment.
Speaking during the official launch of the League in Lusaka on 14 October 2025, the President of the LAA, His Excellency Ambassador Nwannebuike Ominyi, emphasised that Africa’s continued dependence on unprocessed natural resources remains a major obstacle to growth.
“One of the greatest challenges confronting the African economy is the lack of value addition to our natural resources. This is the root cause of the continent’s persistent poverty and underdevelopment,” he stated.
Ominyi urged African nations to look beyond the past and take charge of shaping their economic destiny. “We have blamed the West for too long; we have lamented the days of our colonisation long enough. It is not up to the slave owner to free the slave; it is the duty of the one enslaved to imagine a better future and to find his current condition repugnant enough to fight for his freedom,” he said.
He declared that the League would leverage its members’ diplomatic strength to mobilise partnerships and investments that would accelerate Africa’s industrial transformation. “We unequivocally assert that it is time to fast-track Africa’s industrialisation. We are committed to championing this cause globally and collaborating with both local and international investors. We stand ready to deploy our diplomatic expertise in every necessary respect.”
As an example of progress towards industrial self-reliance, Ominyi hailed the remarkable feat achieved by Africa’s foremost industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote. “We salute Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, for successfully establishing the world’s largest single-train refinery in Nigeria, a milestone that underscores Africa’s capacity to meet its own energy needs,” he said.
He further commended the Government of Nigeria for providing an enabling environment for the project’s realisation, noting that several African countries are already engaging with the refinery for petroleum supply.
Ominyi also called for policies that safeguard and promote locally made goods. “Africa must protect and patronise made-in-Africa products if we are to win the commodity war in the global market,” he stressed.
He applauded other African industrialists investing locally despite challenging economic conditions and praised the outcome of the 2024 African Renaissance Retreat held in Kigali, describing it as “a major private-sector platform that charted a bold course for Africa’s next industrial revolution.”
Calling it “an initiative capable of driving a value addition revolution and prosperity in Africa,” Ominyi assured that the League stands ready as a strategic partner.
As the League of African Ambassadors begins its mandate from Lusaka, Ominyi affirmed that the mission to strengthen Africa’s economy has only just begun, a vision that aligns with Africa’s collective aspiration for growth, self-reliance and global competitiveness.