Former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Dr Emeka Offor, has urged urgent, coordinated action across Africa as the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) deadline rapidly approaches.
In an interview on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Abuja, Offor emphasised the need for the African Union (AU) to lead a historic transformation built on bold leadership, strategic investment, and strengthened accountability.
He referenced a continental roadmap titled “Africa’s Moment: The Race to Transform a Continent by 2030”, which outlined priority actions to address persistent gaps in trade, energy, healthcare, education, and digital inclusion.
“With sobering statistics showing that only 30 per cent of Africans have access to universal health coverage and 600 million lack electricity, the AU is being pressed to act decisively.
“We have talked for too long. It is time to act,” Offor said.
He stressed that Africa’s private sector was ready to partner with governments, but clear targets, reduced bureaucracy, and stable regulatory environments were essential for confidence and investment.
Offor described proposed reforms in infrastructure financing and digital transformation as “timely and non-negotiable,” advocating for the mobilisation of local capital, pension funds, and digital assets to drive change.
“If we mobilise our resources with integrity and purpose, we won’t need to beg the world for solutions,” he stated.
He urged African leaders to adopt AU-led quarterly SDG reviews and a new African Peer Review Mechanism focused on SDG implementation, supported by public scorecards.
The mechanisms, he said, would enhance accountability and investor confidence.
Citing data, Offor highlighted that intra-African trade remained sluggish, accounting for just 14.4 per cent of total trade, compared to 59 per cent in Asia.
He called for the urgent implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), noting that red tape and inefficiencies cost the continent 170 billion dollars annually.
Africa, Offor said, faced an annual infrastructure financing gap of 100 billion dollars.
He proposed that the AU coordinated a continental bond programme leveraging Africa’s 3 trillion dollars in pension assets to fund roads, energy, and transportation systems.
The policy brief he referenced also calls for: Doubling research and development investments by 2027, Allocating 20 per cent of national budgets to education and Prioritising technical and vocational training to meet youth employment needs.
Others are scaling renewable energy to 50 per cent of national grids by 2030, Leading a digital identity initiative and achieving 95 per cent digital inclusion by 2030 and Combating Financial Leakages and Enhancing Revenue.
Offor warned that illicit financial flowed cost the continent 88.6 billion dollars annually and called for firm action to plug the leakages.
He also encouraged African governments to raise tax revenue to at least 20 per cent of GDP by 2030.
“The world is watching. If we fail to hold ourselves accountable, we will miss this golden opportunity.
“But if we get it right, Africa can become the world’s next economic frontier,” he said.
Offor ended by recommending an emergency AU summit on the SDGs that would produce binding national commitments and reinforce regional coordination.
“Africa’s time is now. What we do between now and 2030 will shape our destiny for generations.
“The private sector is watching closely, ready to invest, but demands action over promises,” he said.
By Chinenye Offor