Vice President Kashim Shettima has challenged African leaders to move beyond endless debates and start executing ideas that will drive the continent forward in an era where knowledge is no longer a barrier to progress.
Speaking at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi Commemorative Symposium and the launch of the Amandla Policy and Leadership Institute in Abuja, Shettima warned that Africa risks being plundered not just for its resources but for its potential if it fails to act swiftly in the face of rapid technological advancements.
“The post-idea world is not a world without ideas—it is a world where the excuse of not knowing has expired,” Shettima stated, stressing that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, have eliminated ignorance as an obstacle. He argued that the challenge now lies in implementation: “Who will act?”
Drawing attention to global shifts, Shettima highlighted that while other regions focus on engineering the future, Africa remains entangled in historical grievances and political rivalries. He pointed out that economic policies, climate strategies, and AI-driven innovations shaping the world are being formulated in distant capitals, leaving Africa behind.
The Vice President praised Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Mrs. Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi for their foresight in establishing the Amandla Institute, which he described as an antidote to Africa’s leadership paralysis. He emphasized that Africa does not lack ideas but rather the systems, policies, and political will to scale those ideas into reality.
At the recently concluded World Economic Forum in Davos, Shettima noted that Africa’s vulnerabilities—ranging from security threats to economic instability—were starkly outlined in the 2025 Global Risks Report. However, he rejected the notion that the continent is hopeless, insisting that Africa must stop being a mere consumer of foreign innovations and start shaping its own destiny.
“The renaissance of this continent will not be gifted; it must be built,” Shettima declared. He called for a shift from dependency on external blueprints to self-sufficiency, where African governments invest in homegrown solutions, foster innovation, and empower young people to create tech-driven enterprises.
Shettima urged leaders to become “architects of platforms” rather than just custodians of power. He envisioned a future where African ministries house AI strategists, policy institutes like Amandla drive continental trade reforms, and “Made in Africa” becomes synonymous with technological excellence rather than raw material exports.
As he concluded his speech, Shettima called on African youth to seize the moment, leveraging technology to overcome colonial legacies and drive economic transformation. He stressed that Africa’s prosperity will not be a gift but a prize to be won through decisive leadership in politics, business, and governance.
With the establishment of the Amandla Institute, Shettima expressed optimism that Africa can turn thinkers into doers, policies into progress, and Pan-African ideals into lived realities. “The post-idea world belongs to those who act. Africa must not see prosperity as a gift. It is a prize to be won,” he declared.