President Julius Maada Bio has called on African countries to strengthen their productive capacity, promote innovation and build competitive industries to negotiate with the rest of the world from a position of economic strength.
Delivering the keynote address at the Elevate Africa Convening 2026 in Accra, Ghana, under the theme “Africa: Defining Her Future,” President Bio said Africa’s political independence must be matched by economic sovereignty, enabling countries to determine their development priorities, create jobs and derive greater value from their natural and human resources.
“Political independence gave us the authority to make our own decisions. True sovereignty requires the capacity to carry those decisions through,” President Bio declared.
He said Africa was at a defining moment amid changing global economic relationships, increasingly challenging development financing, rapid technological transformation and growing international interest in the continent’s resources. He urged African leaders to respond by strengthening their negotiating capacity and prioritizing their national and collective interests.
The President emphasised that Africa could not achieve lasting prosperity by continuing to export raw materials while importing finished products. He called for greater investment in industries that process minerals, transform agricultural products and create employment opportunities for the continent’s growing population.
“Our resources must create industries, jobs and wealth for our people. That is how economic sovereignty becomes a reality,” he said.
President Bio explained that true sovereignty goes beyond the authority to make national decisions. It also requires the economic capacity to educate children, feed populations, develop industries and negotiate international partnerships on terms that benefit African countries.
Highlighting Sierra Leone’s development priorities, he cited the Free Quality School Education Programme, introduced in 2018, as a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to education. He reaffirmed that poverty should not determine the limits of a child’s future.
He also highlighted the Feed Salone initiative as a key component of efforts to strengthen food security, support farmers and expand opportunities for young people. According to him, food security is not merely about agricultural production but also about national dignity, economic resilience and the ability to withstand external shocks.
He stressed that development priorities must be reflected in public budgets, government policies and institutional actions to deliver meaningful improvements in people’s lives.
On regional integration, President Bio called for African economic cooperation to move beyond agreements and declarations towards practical benefits for traders, entrepreneurs and businesses operating across national borders.
Citing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he said regional integration should make it easier for African businesses to access neighbouring markets, transport goods across borders and expand their commercial activities.
“I want to see a business in Freetown able to trade with customers in Accra without unnecessary obstacles,” he said.
The President maintained that the success of continental integration should be measured by the opportunities it creates for ordinary Africans rather than the number of agreements signed or meetings held. He called for improved market access, stronger African enterprises and productive industries capable of generating employment and retaining more economic value within the continent.
Turning to leadership and accountability, President Bio challenged participants to translate discussions at the convening into concrete commitments supported by financing, implementation plans and accountability mechanisms.
“Before we leave Accra, let each of us identify one commitment we are prepared to finance, implement and account for,” he urged.
He encouraged leaders, investors and other stakeholders to support practical initiatives, including investments in African enterprises, the removal of barriers to regional trade and the expansion of educational and economic opportunities.
“Let Accra be remembered for what we began here, not simply for what we said here,” he added.
President Bio observed that Africa had no shortage of development plans, declarations or regional agreements. The major challenge, he said, was ensuring that these commitments translated into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
Reflecting on Sierra Leone’s experience of conflict and recovery, he underscored the importance of preserving peace through dialogue, justice, accountable governance and respect for constitutional order. He warned that development could not be sustained if peace and stability were undermined, urging political leaders to resolve differences through trusted institutions and without violence.
“Peace gives development a chance to succeed. Strong institutions give that progress a chance to last,” he said.
He further argued that Africa’s progress must not depend on individual leaders but on strong institutions capable of protecting public resources, serving citizens and sustaining national priorities beyond changes in political leadership.
“A leader’s greatest legacy is a country that continues to make progress after that leader has left office,” he stated.
The President also called for greater opportunities for young Africans to participate in shaping the continent’s future through education, employment, innovation, entrepreneurship and decision-making.
“We cannot continue calling them the leaders of tomorrow while denying them opportunities to lead today,” President Bio said.
He urged African leaders to consider the long-term consequences of their decisions on education, public debt, natural resources and national development, stressing the need to create opportunities for future generations.
In a personal reflection, President Bio recalled the influence of his late mother, Yei Amie, whose commitment to education, hard work and integrity helped create opportunities for her children despite limited resources.
He used her example to demonstrate how sacrifices and decisions made today can shape opportunities for future generations, even when those responsible may not live to witness the full results.
Concluding his address, President Bio challenged African leaders to consider how future generations would judge their response to the challenges and opportunities facing the continent, particularly whether they made difficult decisions, honoured their commitments and built institutions capable of serving generations to come.
“They will not remember every speech we delivered or every declaration we signed. They will remember what changed because we had the opportunity to lead,” he said.
During the opening ceremony, First Lady Fatima Bio also advocated greater empowerment of women across Africa, stressing that the continent’s progress depends on uplifting and expanding opportunities for African women.
President Bio’s keynote placed economic sovereignty, productive capacity, regional integration and accountable leadership at the centre of Africa’s development agenda, urging African nations to transform their resources into industries, jobs and lasting prosperity for their people.