By ebosele@hotmail.com
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, has challenged African leaders, policymakers and investors to seize the continent’s current reform momentum and take bold steps to unlock sustainable economic growth.
Oyedele gave the charge while delivering a keynote address on the second day of the 7th Africa Emerging Markets Forum (AEMF 2026), where discussions focused on investment, innovation, artificial intelligence, urbanisation and strategies for accelerating economic development across Africa.
The minister urged African leaders to strengthen institutions, implement bold reforms and create an enabling environment capable of attracting strategic investments needed to transform the continent’s economic prospects.
He also called on investors to match Africa’s reform efforts with confidence, capital and partnerships that can unlock growth at scale.
Oyedele stressed that Africa could not afford to wait for perfect conditions before acting, noting that decisive reforms, sound policies and sustained investments were critical to shaping the continent’s economic future.
“This is not the time to wait for perfect conditions,” he said, urging investors and other stakeholders to respond positively to the reform momentum across the continent.
On Nigeria’s economic ambition, Oyedele reaffirmed the Federal Government’s target of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030, describing it as a measurable objective that can be attained through sound policies, fiscal discipline, accountability and effective coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities.
He said the country’s economic transformation would require sustained commitment to reforms and stronger collaboration among government, investors and other stakeholders.
The forum also featured a keynote address by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, who focused on knowledge-based competition, commercialisation of research and technology deployment in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare and education.
Udeh urged African countries to move beyond dependence on imported technology and develop the capacity to produce technologies capable of addressing the continent’s unique development challenges.
A panel on “Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Technology Transfer and Inclusive Growth” examined strategies for attracting quality investments, promoting technology transfer and ensuring that economic growth delivers broader benefits across emerging markets.
Experts also explored the relationship between fragility, inflation and monetary policy transmission in selected fragile and post-crisis economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, with discussions focusing on food inflation, macroeconomic stability and appropriate policy responses.
Artificial intelligence featured prominently in the programme, with participants examining its growing impact on workplaces, governance and democratic policy transmission. Speakers highlighted the opportunities presented by AI while stressing the importance of appropriate policies and institutional frameworks to ensure its responsible deployment.
Another session, titled “Sub-Saharan Africa’s Urban Awakening: Catalysing Economic Growth and Job Creation,” examined the role of sustainable urbanisation in boosting productivity, attracting investment and creating jobs.
The two-day forum ended with participants reaffirming the importance of resilience, regional integration, innovation, investment and policy collaboration in advancing Africa’s economic transformation.
The discussions further highlighted the need for African countries to convert reforms, technological innovation and investment opportunities into concrete actions capable of delivering sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
