Black African Countries Can’t Build Successful Economies
The most critical question for Black Africans is, why can’t they build successful economies? Many African countries struggle to develop successful economies for various reasons. History, governance, global systems, and structural challenges shape the complex reality. Below is a breakdown of the most credible and evidence-based explanations:
Sub-Saharan Africa is often referred to as the world’s poverty capital, home to eight of the world’s poorest countries. The region produces or manufactures little of significance and faces significant challenges in education, institutions, research and development, infrastructure, and governance. The nearly fifty countries in sub-Saharan Africa exhibit similar deficiencies across these critical areas.
When Africa is mentioned globally, poverty typically comes to mind. Many individuals seek to emigrate to Europe, North America, or other regions rather than to Africa itself. This brings us to the central theme of this discussion: the economy.
Many argue that people in Africa, and particularly Black people, struggle to build prosperous economies. There are claims that a lack of understanding of economic principles hinders their ability to implement effective economic policies that could transform Africa into a financial superpower.
Understanding an Economy
An economy is a system composed of individuals, businesses, and governments within a region that produces and sells goods and services. It reflects how a nation creates, distributes, and consumes goods and services, as well as its overall financial health and activity.
For a country to have a thriving economy, it must have a government that ensures transparency and protects its citizens. An effective government does not own, produce, or sell goods; instead, it must foster a conducive environment for both businesses and individuals. This includes providing solid infrastructure to enable these entities to flourish without fear.
For instance, Nigeria’s primary food source is rice, which thrives in its tropical climate. Despite this, Nigeria imports rice. Why is that? Establishing a business in Nigeria is notoriously difficult due to numerous hurdles, bureaucratic red tape, rampant corruption, and systemic bribery. The government has neglected infrastructure and security, crafting laws that primarily protect politicians and elites while ignoring the broader interests of the population. In Nigeria, almost every transaction involves kickbacks and under-the-table deals, creating a perilous economic environment. This situation directly contributes to the country’s poverty.
According to its own policies, the Nigerian government should prioritise infrastructure, security, education, and transparency. Nigeria, home to over 150 million mobile phone users, imports every necessary charging cable from countries such as China. Why can’t Nigeria produce these charging cables locally? The government should create incentives to encourage the local production of essential goods while facilitating trade within the country and between neighbouring regions.
Another significant product in Nigeria is flour. Why does the nation import flour? While countries outside Africa can easily produce necessities such as rice, flour, cables, and toothpicks, Nigeria’s reliance on foreign currency to purchase these goods weakens the currency. It is not difficult for the government to boost the local economy by promoting local production and encouraging intra-national trade.
For context, Taiwan, with a population of 23 million, had a total trade of $869 billion in 2024, while Nigeria’s trade volume for the same year was $89 billion (₦138.03 trillion). Taiwan’s trade volume surpassed that of West Africa’s entire population of 466 million. If you think our impoverishment stems from a hidden Western agenda, you might not fully understand the underlying issues. The reality is that we are not manufacturing or producing many of the basic goods we require.
To develop our local economies, we must focus on internal trade and foster exchanges with neighbouring regions. This will strengthen local currencies, create jobs, and enhance government revenues. There is no magic solution to these challenges.
In 2024, intra-trade among 16 West African countries with a combined population of 466 million reached $52.8 billion. In contrast, Switzerland, with a population of eight million, traded $127 billion with Germany in the same year. Singapore, with five million residents, engaged in an inter-trade worth $54 billion with Malaysia. At the same time, Hong Kong, with a population of seven million, had an inter-trade with South Korea totalling $45 billion.
No one would want to visit a country where over 85 million cases of public-sector bribery occur each year. The infrastructure is lacking—there are insufficient roads, trains, air traffic systems, and reliable means for transporting goods. Institutions lack solidity and transparency, resulting in significantly low productivity. Some might argue that there are roads, trains, and flights; however, try driving from Benin City to Akure, a distance of 112 kilometres, and you will see how many hours it takes. You’ll likely face around 50 police checkpoints, each one attempting to extort bribes, turning the journey into a nightmare. Additionally, you may encounter potential kidnappers, robbers, and other hazards, such as potholes and damaged roads.
This situation is not unique to Nigeria; countries like Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Botswana, and many others are similarly affected. Weak, unproductive, disconnected, and isolated economies characterise us. Our currencies reflect this weakness, as they are not tied to strong, locally based production economies that are interdependent with each other and their regional counterparts. Another example of the challenges faced by Black-majority countries can be seen in nations outside Africa, such as Haiti, Jamaica, Grenada, and Dominica, which also struggle with weak economies.
In contrast, predominantly white countries, or those that were invaded and are now occupied by white populations—such as New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Canada, Brazil, and parts of Africa like South Africa and Namibia—have developed economies by building infrastructure that facilitates trade and movement. They have established an environment where people, organisations, and businesses can thrive by implementing sound policies that secure their borders. By 2025, many African countries still had less than 35% power coverage. In Nigeria, only 65% of the population has access to electricity, and those who do often have service only a few hours per day. Furthermore, 95% of Nigerians lack access to public running water; they must dig boreholes and treat the water themselves, if they treat it at all. This lack of power could be a contributing factor to Nigeria’s low life expectancy.
In South Africa and Namibia, the white population is, on average, among the wealthiest in Africa. They have constructed infrastructure and implemented policies that fostered their economic growth until they regained control. While these statistics might be a brutal truth to accept, it is essential to acknowledge that South Africa, under white leadership, despite its racial dynamics, was more developed and advanced than many countries deemed “developed”.
There is often a tribal and short-sighted mindset among some Africans. When presented with a long-term project spanning 10 years, it can seem overwhelming. The focus tends to be on immediate benefits rather than future gains. When individuals take charge of projects or leadership roles, there is often a tendency to prioritise personal gain over community interest. As a result, we struggle to build prosperous economies, which contributes to our ongoing poverty.
When considering how Gabon, Cameroon, and both Congos can remain poor despite having some of the wealthiest land and favourable climates, it’s clear that the issue is not a lack of potential skills but somewhat deeper systemic problems. Similar questions arise for Angola, Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Why are all sub-Saharan countries facing poverty, while nations like Seychelles and Mauritius, which are largely non-Black and located off the mainland, succeed?
Here are 12 points why Africa is an economic failure:
- Colonial Legacy and Structural Dependency
Colonial economies prioritised resource extraction, exporting raw materials while importing finished goods. After independence, many African countries were left with similar structures, making them dependent on commodity exports and vulnerable to price fluctuations. Colonial borders often forced diverse ethnic groups into single states, leading to political instability and hampering economic planning.
- Weak Institutions and Corruption
Many African countries face weak governance in which political loyalty overshadows merit. Corruption diverts funds from essential areas like infrastructure and education, deterring investment due to perceived instability and unclear regulations.
- Poor Infrastructure
Inadequate infrastructure—such as roads, power supply, and internet access—raises business costs. Unreliable electricity hurts industrial growth, while weak transport networks make intra-African trade costly.
- Overdependence on Raw Materials
African economies often rely on a handful of commodities. Price drops can lead to budgetary collapses, and limited industrialisation means the continent earns less from its resources.
- Limited Human Capital Development
Despite a large youth population, education systems often fail to equip students with the skills needed for modern economies. Underinvestment in research also limits productivity.
- Political Instability and Insecurity
Instability caused by coups, ethnic conflicts, and terrorism disrupts economic progress, driving investors away and redirecting public funds from development to defence.
- Debt and External Dependence
Heavy debt burdens many African nations, leading to significant budget allocations for loan servicing rather than development. International institutions often shape economic policies, thereby limiting local autonomy.
- Poor Regional Integration
Africa could create a vast internal market, but intra-African trade remains low due to tariffs and inadequate infrastructure. The AfCFTA aims to improve this, but progress is slow.
- Climate and Agricultural Vulnerability
Agriculture employs many Africans but is highly climate-dependent and under-mechanised. Climate issues like droughts and floods threaten food security and keep millions in poverty.
- Global Economic Inequality
The global system keeps Africa at the bottom of value chains, exporting raw materials and importing finished products. Multinational corporations dominate extraction and repatriate profits.
- Brain Drain
Many educated Africans seek opportunities abroad, resulting in a loss of local talent, reduced innovation, and weaker leadership.
- Short-Term Political Cycles
Governments often focus on projects with immediate political benefits rather than long-term reforms, discouraging sustainable investment.
Before I conclude, there is one area where Africans excel beyond any other group. You can’t even imagine what this is after listening from the beginning until here: dancing and partying!
Watch the excerpt on why Black Africans can’t develop successful economies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76xjVifGPg
By Ikechukwu ORJI
