Africa speaks
African Leaders’ Call and Commit to Action on Foundational Learning in Africa
African leaders, the African Union, and Global development partners gathered in New York at the UN General Assembly today to showcase the transformational impact that prioritising foundational learning can have on the African continent. The World Bank estimates that the learning crisis will result in $21 trillion of lost productivity globally if urgent action is not taken. However, if addressed, ensuring that our children are learning can add $6.5 trillion of additional global value by 2030. The crisis is most acute, and the opportunity is greatest, in Africa, where nine out of ten children are not currently able to read with understanding or do basic math by the age of ten.
Opening the African Union and Global Partnership for Education Presidential meeting in New York, African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki acknowledged the need for a long-term focus on education, calling for an annual education convening at the AU Mission during the United Nations General Assembly meetings. He said: “We must acknowledge that the formulation of annual themes is not enough, the journey is long and we need longer-term, innovative, and bold responses. We have unacceptable levels of education poverty at a time when more than 80% of our workforce in twenty years will be youth.”
Delivering a keynote speech, H.E. Prof Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) at the African Union reinforced the need for bold investments and called for an international effort to support Africa’s children and deliver global returns. He said: “Foundational learning is an enabler for Africa’s long-term development and the key to unlocking the potential of millions of African children who will be the changemakers of tomorrow. 9 out of 10 children in Africa cannot read or do basic math by the age of ten. This learning poverty undermines our collective efforts to achieve our Agenda 2063. The AU is committed to making foundational learning a key part of our agenda beyond 2024 and to tracking progress, providing support where needed, and continuing to advocate for comprehensive reforms.”
H.E. President Hakainde Hichelima of Zambia, an Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) continental champion for Foundational Learning said: “In 2050, at least one-third of all young people aged 15 to 24 years old will be born in Africa. At present, four in five children are unable to read and understand simple text by the age of ten. This is unacceptable and we must urgently prioritise investments in education. These skills are the building blocks for every child’s academic and other forms of success. Collectively, we must set clear milestones beyond the 2024 year of education and ensure that no child in Africa is left behind.”
Former President of Malawi, H.E. Dr Joyce Banda said: “A continental crisis requires a continental response. We need more Heads of State to become champions for Foundational Learning. We need accountability mechanisms, and a robust peer review process will help us hold ourselves accountable for the promises we make to our children.”
This is not just about education. Every goal we have set is dependent on achieving strong foundational learning. The prosperity we dream of will be built from the classroom, with a child learning to read and count. Let us commit today to make that dream a reality and unlock the potential of our continent.”
Former President of Tanzania and Chair of the Global Partnership for Education H.E. Jakaya Kikwete said: “We are the world’s youngest and fastest growing continent. By 2050 one in every four people will be an African. Our workforce will be bigger than China. We must equip them. If we fail to act we risk further disenfranchising them. A 1% improvement in learning outcomes can translate into a 7.2% improvement in economic growth. To unlock this potential we need focused investments. A relentless focus on learning, proper support for our educators, and strong partnerships.”
Moderating a panel of African Ministers of education implementing African-owned solutions to enhance learning outcomes, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Founder of Human Capital Africa asked Ministers to highlight the two most critical investments required to deliver results: “It’s clear from your contributions that African Ministers want innovative, evidence-based and targeted financing alongside the better and more effective and efficient use of existing resources. They are clear that this will enable the teacher training, support, and deployment required to help children learn, using proven and efficient pedagogical approaches that work at scale while ensuring we generate and utilise data to inform the pathway to better learning outcomes and enabling accountability at all levels.”
Speakers and leaders at the events in New York built on previous calls made by Human Capital Africa, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) at the February AU Summit, and former African Presidents at the AU Mid-Year Summit in Accra in July 2024. These calls urge Heads of Government, through the African Union, to take the following decisive steps to address the learning crisis.
- Declare that it is unacceptable that nine (9) out of ten (10) of our children are unable to read with understanding and do basic math by age 10.
- Acknowledge that the delivery of Agenda 2063 and its social, economic, and developmental objectives is deeply connected with learning outcomes.
- Recognise the transformative impact that foundational learning can have on continental productivity, empowering millions and driving economic growth.
- Collectively commit to all children reading with comprehension and doing basic mathematics by the age of ten by 2030.
- Take action to urgently implement cost-effective evidence-based solutions that can accelerate learning outcomes and be delivered within existing budget resources.
- Expand the active use of available tools that allow countries to measure learning outcomes early, consistently, and comparatively.
- Build a continental mechanism that allows countries, development partners, and citizens to hold each other accountable for learning outcomes and peer review progress
Africa speaks
African Philanthropist & Business Leader, Tony Elumelu Sets Out Africa’s Priorities for UNGA 2024
African philanthropist and business leader, Tony Elumelu, will make Africa’s transformative economic growth, youth employment, and energy transition central to the discussions at this year’s United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), taking place late September in New York.
Elumelu will call for urgent action in a series of engagements, including a roundtable discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative with former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, and at an event co-hosted by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), led by WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain.
Elumelu will bring his perspective both from extensive experience in building industry-leading businesses across the continent, and the success of the Tony Elumelu Foundation‘s catalytic programmes empowering young Africans. Elumelu is a realist, challenging Africa and Africans to solve their problems, bringing African solutions, but also recognizing Africa’s responsibility to act.
As Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group and pan-African investment company, Heirs Holdings, as well as Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Elumelu is a leading driver of Africa’s transformation agenda, helping shape the continent’s narrative on the global stage. His thought leadership and advocacy challenge conventional views, offering innovative strategies for collaboration and growth. The success of his Foundation in promoting youth entrepreneurship as a pathway out of poverty, has featured in case studies from Harvard, Chicago Business School, Stanford and Cambridge.
With over 60% of Africans lacking access to electricity and young people making up more than 60% of the continent’s 1.3 billion population, Africa faces challenges that impact the world. Africa, most recently with tragic floods in West Africa, is suffering climate driven environmental crises, caused by global emissions, whilst Africa’s development is held back by huge infrastructure deficits.
In a recent statement, Elumelu emphasised, “I have often said that there is nowhere else in the world you can reap the kind of investments as in Africa. However, I am acutely aware of the fundamental challenges our continent faces. Addressing the issues of sustainable economic growth, youth unemployment, gender inequality, and Africa’s energy transition is critical not only for meeting the continent’s basic developmental needs, but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and unlocking the immense economic potential that Africa offers.”
An economist and visionary entrepreneur, Elumelu’s economic philosophy of Africapitalism, serves as a blueprint for accelerating Africa’s economic transformation, advocating for the private sector to take the lead in delivering social and economic wealth, and shared prosperity for all.
Alongside Elumelu’s advocacy, the United Bank for Africa, which he chairs, will host a networking gala on the sidelines of UNGA – a platform to spotlight investment opportunities on the continent. The Gala will convene prominent leaders across four continents, in commemoration of UBA Group’s 75th anniversary and the Group’s 40 years of operations in the United States.
Africa’s youth have been called upon to embrace engineering as a key driver of development and innovation across the continent.
Speaking at the 10th annual UNESCO Africa Engineering Week, High-Level Workshop held in Nairobi – Kenya on September 12, 2024, Eng. Maureen Mwaniki, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya, said the shortage of engineers in Africa, and the rest of the world was a cause for concern.
“There has been declining interest in the profession from the youth, with the enrolment of young people, especially women in the profession dwindling. The continent is facing a situation where there are a lot of older more experienced engineers, but not enough young candidate engineers entering the profession. Our ability to sustain the profession lies in the number of young people choosing engineering as a career,” Eng. Mwaniki said.
She noted that Africa’s future depends on its youth embracing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, particularly engineering, which lies at the core of solving the continent’s most pressing challenges.
“The growing need for infrastructure, clean energy, and climate resilience offers a unique opportunity for engineers to shape Africa’s path toward sustainable growth. But more efforts need to be put in attracting younger people, especially women, to the profession,” Eng. Mwaniki said.
“Women, in particular, need to step out of their comfort zones and grab the opportunities that are offered by companies such as Huawei. Programs like Seeds for the future, ICT Competition, Women Collaboration programs with our partners, etc will help expose the Women Engineers to advanced technologies that can enable them to create solutions for their country.”
The Africa Engineering Week provides a platform for government representatives, industry leaders, and academia to discuss policy frameworks and partnerships that can accelerate engineering education and innovation on the continent.
Celebrated across the region every year, UNESCO Africa Engineering Week promotes engineering solutions and awareness among students, society and policy-makers. It aims to inspire and educate youth and the public on the vital role of engineers in societies.
This year’s edition is hosted by the Ordem dos Engenheiros de Angola in Luanda, Angola, and organised jointly by UNESCO, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO).
It will include the 8th Africa Engineering Conference, the 7th Africa Women Engineers Forum, the Young Engineers Forum and a Business-to-Business (B2B) session. These events will focus on sustainability and innovative infrastructures; engineering and acceleration of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation; and engineering education and capacity building.
“This year’s theme, ‘Engineering and for Sustainable Development’, highlights the urgent need for technical solutions to address challenges such as climate change, infrastructure development, and digital transformation,” Eng. Mwaniki said.
Africa speaks
Good Governance: The Need for Nigerian Government to Take Strategic Communications Seriously
Good governance is fundamental for the prosperity of every nation, and this principle extends to the corporate sphere, where ‘Corporate Governance’ holds significant importance. Effective governance practices ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making, which are essential for sustainable growth and success in both public and private sectors.
In the corporate world, adhering to sound principles of corporate governance helps in fostering investor confidence, mitigating risks, and enhancing overall performance. By upholding the principles of good governance, organizations can build trust with stakeholders, maintain a competitive edge, and contribute to long-term success and sustainability.
The call for good governance has been put on the front burner in Nigeria with the hunger protest by citizens tagged #EndBadGovernance. Although the protest turned bloody in some parts of the country, resulting in the looting of supermarkets and shops and vandal of public facilities, it has shown the disconnection between the government and the citizens.
The violent turn of events highlights the deep-seated frustrations and grievances of the people towards the authorities. It serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from the government to address the issues that have led to such drastic actions by the populace. The unrest underscores the critical importance of heeding the calls for reform and ensuring that the concerns of the citizens are heard and addressed to prevent further escalation of tensions.
Sadly, the situation has further dirtied the reputation of the country among the League of Nations. However, after several calls by citizens, President Bola Tinubu had to address the nation calling for calm and understanding and urging citizens to end the protest. In his address, he reeled out some of the initiatives his administration is doing to stabilize the economy and reduce hunger, poverty, and others.
As commendable as this is, it shows how the government has not been proactive and not even deliberate about strategically communicating with the citizens and stakeholders. Successive governments have also followed this path; they wait until there is an outburst from the citizens before they address the nation. Then they start reeling out the interventions they are doing and how citizens can access them.
This is not just peculiar to the federal government and its agencies, states, and local government; the other organs of government are not left out. They claim to disburse huge amounts of funds for citizens, but the expected beneficiaries are not aware of it. The effort is like ‘winking in the dark’ and it has always been counterproductive for the country.
Citizens don’t trust the government and the government doesn’t engage citizens appropriately. Town hall meetings met to boost the government-citizen relationship have become a gathering of politicians.
Government spokespersons are commonly seen as the mouthpieces of the political party in power who mostly blame the opposition for campaign promises not yet filled instead of clearly communicating their policies and programmes.
This present government won on the mantra of ‘Renewed Hope’ but after the election, it has failed to deliberately leverage strategic communications to engage citizens and stakeholders to reposition the country.
Why is strategic communications important for Nigeria? Strategic communications is about communicating the best message, through the correct channels, to the right people, at the right time and using feedback from this process to stay focused on set goals. Conflict, insecurity, and other challenges facing the country will reduce when the government becomes more transparent and deliberate about communicating to the citizens and not just political party members.
The government also needs to understand that if they don’t listen to citizens and communicate on time, false news or negative perceptions may dominate the public agenda. Listening and responding on time help build trust. This is similar to how corporate organizations operate; if they don’t treat the feedback, they get from their customers timely and appropriately it will have a negative impact on their reputation and sales.
In essence, good communication is essential for good governance to be attained. The World Bank in a blog post once said, “When trust in governments around the world is at a historic low, and a myriad of challenges continue to overwhelm leaders, it’s imperative for government agencies to revamp their strategic communications approach.”
It is important to state how a country projects or positions itself will give hope to the people and attract potential investors. Reputation is very important and most developed economies have strategically protected their reputation and positioned their country as a tourist destination or manufacturing hub. An example of this is Dubai which is generating massive revenue and investment from tourism and China which is making a huge impact in manufacturing.
Citizens expect the government to fulfill its promises, show care and concern, listen to their needs, and communicate effectively with them. In return, citizens are willing to support government initiatives and policies, which ultimately contribute to securing the future of the country. This symbiotic relationship between citizens and the government is essential for a thriving and stable society where both parties work together towards common goals and shared prosperity. By fostering trust, understanding, and collaboration, governments can better address the needs of their citizens, leading to a more harmonious and successful nation.
In essence, for an effective government, it is crucial to stay informed about the news and public sentiment, actively listen to the concerns of citizens, develop well-informed policies and strategies, maintain transparency, accountability, fairness, and responsibility in decision-making processes, and take a proactive approach in engaging with citizens and key stakeholders through strategic communication. This ensures that the government remains connected, responsive, and aligned with the needs and expectations of the public, fostering a relationship of trust and collaboration that is essential for good governance and effective policymaking.
Written by: Dr. Omolaraeni Olaosebikan is a strategic communications expert and the CEO of McEnies Global Communications, a leading strategic integrated marketing communications agency in Nigeria.
