Closed borders blocking prosperity - Gabby Otchere Darko warns

The founder and Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), Gabby Otchere-Darko, has warned that Africa’s persistent tendency to prioritise rhetoric over genuine regional integration has evolved from a diplomatic failure into an existential threat.

He made this assertion during the 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues on February 6, 2026.

Speaking to an audience of heads of state, business moguls, and all the relevant stakeholders, Otchere-Darko argued that Africa is sitting on a demographic time bomb fueled by youth unemployment and stifled trade.

In a bold critique of African leadership, Otchere-Darko challenged the traditional view of national borders.

He argued that tightly guarded frontiers are not symbols of independence, but rather barriers that prevent Africa’s one billion young people from achieving prosperity.

President Mahama calls for shift from aid to investment in Africa

“You cannot have sovereignty when you don’t have economic leverage,” he declared.

“Our borders today restrict the substance of our sovereignty. True sovereignty comes from economic power, not arbitrary barriers,” he added.

Tracing a timeline from the 1977 Africa Standards Organization to the 2018 launch of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Gabby Otchere-Darko pointed to a frustrating cycle of unfulfilled promises.

Despite decades of milestones, he noted that the Free Movement Protocol remains largely unratified or ignored.

'Africa is bleeding and not at ease’ – Lumumba warns leaders

By 2040, an estimated 1.3 billion young Africans are expected to enter the workforce. Otchere-Darko warned that if governments fail to act decisively by opening borders and fostering innovation, this demographic shift could become a liability rather than an asset.

He further cautioned, “Our economy is big enough to create jobs, but we must act decisively.”

The future of the continent now hinges on whether leaders choose to protect "arbitrary lines" or empower the next generation to trade freely across a truly integrated Africa.

VPO/EB

Detailed account of how US Marshals arrested, held former MASLOC CEO:

TWI NEWS