2025 Concordia Annual Summit

Inspiring Opportunity: Innovation, Inclusion, and Growth in Africa

  • Advancing Human Rights & Social Progress
Cherie Blair CBE KC, Somachi Chris-Asoluka

Session Summary

Important
Quotations

"I often say exclusion is expensive. Inclusion pays for itself."
Cherie Blair CBE KC
"Africa capitalism is really for Africa and realizing that for too long we have outsourced development to government and international partners. Africa capitalism is a call to action for the African private sector to take development as their primary responsibility."
Somachi Chris-Asoluka

Key
Takeaways

  • African-Led Development Through Entrepreneurship: Africa capitalism represents a paradigm shift where the African private sector takes primary responsibility for development rather than outsourcing it to governments or international partners. The Tony Elumelu Foundation has demonstrated this model’s effectiveness by funding 24,000 entrepreneurs who have created over 2.5 million jobs and lifted 2 million African families out of poverty.
  • Inclusion Drives Economic Growth: Exclusion is expensive, while inclusion pays for itself. When women entrepreneurs are supported—such as through flexible training schedules and childcare provisions—completion rates increase from 30% to 80%. One supported entrepreneur helped 1,500 women farmers lift their families out of poverty, demonstrating the powerful multiplier effect of inclusive programs.
  • Technology as Both Opportunity and Risk: Young African entrepreneurs are innovating across sectors including agriculture (using drones and AI), green economy (20% of entrepreneurs), and education. However, equitable access to AI and digital tools is crucial to prevent deepening existing inequalities. As noted, “AI shows us what we feed it”—requiring responsible training and ensuring 60% of the continent without electricity access isn’t left behind.
  • Strategic Partnership Over Dependency: International partners should shift from traditional aid models to supporting entrepreneurship-based development. The foundation’s approach of providing seed capital grants (not loans), expert mentorship, and business training demonstrates a more sustainable model that preserves dignity while building capacity.
  • Innovation in Traditional Sectors: Young Africans are modernizing traditional sectors through technology while addressing climate challenges. Despite contributing least to climate change, Africa faces the greatest vulnerability, driving entrepreneurs to create climate-resilient enterprises and green solutions.

Action
Items

  • Implement Inclusive Program Design: Redesign training programs with flexible schedules that accommodate women’s caregiving responsibilities, establish childcare support systems creating opportunities for women entrepreneurs, and ensure transparent dialogue with communities before implementation.
  • Scale Proven Models: Collaborate with successful programs like TEF instead of creating parallel systems, and focus funding on entrepreneurship-based development that empowers business owners toward self-sufficiency.
  • Address Digital Infrastructure Gaps: Prioritize affordable and accessible electricity and internet infrastructure, develop AI training programs that encourage responsible use and mitigate bias, and guarantee equitable access to digital tools.
  • Strengthen Mentorship Networks: Match entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders, create cross-continental mentorship networks that enable knowledge transfer and market access, and support international expansion for local success stories.
  • Invest in Strategic Sectors: Focus on agriculture innovation, green economy, and education technology, support young entrepreneurs solving local challenges, and back initiatives that enhance climate resilience and sustainable growth.
  • Develop Data-Driven Impact Measurement: Implement rigorous monitoring and evaluation systems, use data insights to scale successful interventions, and share findings to inform broader policy and investment decisions.
  • Foster Cultural Diplomacy Through Business: Promote entrepreneurs as cultural ambassadors, create business platforms for cross-cultural exchange, and support youth leadership that advances gender equality and social justice.
  • Build Systemic Change Infrastructure: Advocate for policy frameworks that enable entrepreneurship and innovation, develop sustainable financing mechanisms beyond traditional aid, and establish African-led institutions driving long-term development.

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