Africa’s future must be built by great African business champions - Alex Apau Dadey

The Executive Chairman of the KGL Group, Alex Apau Dadey, has emphasised that the future of Africa’s economic transformation depends on deliberately building and protecting African-owned enterprises capable of competing on the global stage.

Speaking at the African Prosperity Dialogue 2026, Dadey called for the emergence of strong African business champions as the true drivers of sustainable growth, industrialisation, and long-term prosperity across the continent.

“If we want sustainable growth in Africa, we must deliberately build African business champions that can compete globally. History shows us that lasting economic transformation is driven by enterprises that scale beyond domestic markets, businesses that meet global standards, attract international capital, and compete on quality, governance, and execution,” he said.

According to him, Africa does not suffer from a shortage of entrepreneurs or ideas; rather, the continent’s greatest challenge lies in converting innovation into scale and protecting indigenous success from failure.

“Africa does not lack entrepreneurs. Africa lacks protection for successful entrepreneurs across the continent. When an African business moves from survival to significance, it attracts attention, not celebration, not partnership, but scrutiny. The systematic destabilisation of African business champions once they become competitive is worrying,” he noted.

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He stressed that building African champions is not about exclusion or nationalism, but about inclusion and ownership in global value chains.

He further described local business champions as far more than wealthy individuals, positioning them instead as stabilising forces within African economies.

“Building great African businesses is not about leaving Africa behind; it is about taking Africa with us,” he said. “An Africa built by African global champions is an Africa that is resilient, confident, and competitive,” he added.

Dadey also called for a rethinking of public–private partnerships across the continent, urging the private sector to move beyond purely commercial engagement.

The private sector, he said, should not limit PPPs to only commercial collaboration, but must also act as responsible corporate citizens and be seen as a long-term investment.

He cautioned that African enterprises face more subtle but increasingly dangerous threats in the modern economy.

He warned that businesses are no longer dismantled through force, but through sustained reputational and regulatory pressure.

“In today’s economy, companies are not destroyed with tanks. They are dismantled through headlines, hashtags, consultant reports, and so-called neutral policy advice. Once control of the narrative is lost, the business is already wounded,” he stated.

SP/BAI

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