Africa’s growth potential is frequently highlighted in various contexts and international forums. Despite its resilience amid macroeconomic challenges, the continent has yet to achieve sustainability and shared prosperity. Africapitalism seeks to address this by leveraging the private sector as a catalyst for development.

Empowering a sustainable economy

Africapitalism is an economic philosophy introduced by Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu in 2011. This approach underscores the pivotal role of the private sector in Africa’s development, focusing on long-term investments in strategic sectors to drive economic prosperity and social wealth. It also highlights the government’s role in creating a favorable business environment for private sector growth. At the forefront of this transformative process are three critical themes requiring immediate attention.

Promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture

Africapitalism advocates for promoting entrepreneurship in agriculture and agribusiness to reduce food insecurity. With around 282 million people undernourished, representing about 20 % of Africa’s population, the primary goal is to create jobs, enhance entrepreneurial skills, and provide financial support to emerging agricultural businesses. To achieve this, Africapitalism relies on partnerships, initiatives, and sustainable agricultural practices to build food resilience.

Economic independence for Africa’s youth

Africa boasts the world’s youngest population, with 65 % under the age of 30. Recognizing the potential of Africa’s youth as a significant asset, Africapitalism aims to harness their energy to drive the continent’s growth. However, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that nearly 72 million young people, with two-thirds being women, are currently without employment, education, or training.

The concept hinges on empowering young people economically to create jobs and mitigate migration challenges. Achieving this goal necessitates promoting entrepreneurship, investing in skills development, and providing financial support.

Universal access to healthcare

Access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right and a crucial component of sustainable development. However, delivering such services continues to be a significant challenge in Africa, compounded by issues in financing the healthcare system. Many countries struggle to meet the Abuja Declaration’s requirement of allocating 15% of their national budgets to health.

Africapitalism seeks to foster public-private partnerships to enhance healthcare access and elevate quality of life. These collaborations foster innovation, emphasize preventive measures, and bolster robust, inclusive healthcare systems.

Africapitalism entrepreneurship: challenges and issues

Unlike some recently popular economic concepts abroad that may not translate well to Africa, Africapitalism embodies a responsible and ethical approach to business. Moreover, the private sector has played a crucial role in driving economic growth across Africa in the last two decades.

However, despite the influx of financial investments into the private sector and the growing number of entrepreneurs in Africa, achieving equitable and universal prosperity remains uncertain.

Growing inequality gap

Africapitalism calls on African entrepreneurs to contribute to the development of their continent. However, entrepreneurship that develops without considering existing inequalities and power structures can create new vulnerabilities. Two main risks can arise:

• reduced purchasing power and less favorable decisions for the poor, women, the disabled and the unemployed
• accumulation of wealth in the private sector at the expense of human and natural resources, exacerbating wealth inequality between Africans.

Entrepreneurial responsibility

Realistically, most African entrepreneurs aim to support themselves and their communities. Africapitalism emphasizes entrepreneurial responsibility but alone cannot fully address issues like job instability and inadequate wages. These structural challenges demand broader approaches and coordinated public policies for effective solutions.

While Africapitalism has lifted many individuals out of poverty, it has also contributed to widening inequality. Ultimately, only a few manage to capitalize on the opportunities it offers, leaving many others marginalized.

The importance of private-public partnership and collective responsibility

Africapitalism appears to endorse an entrepreneurial model that prioritizes profit and private investment over the common good. While rooted in capitalism, this concept has the potential to evolve by incorporating additional principles. It must transcend being a mere adaptation of an exploitative system and instead foster collaboration among the private sector, governments, and civil society organizations. This collaborative effort is essential to create an environment that supports entrepreneurship while also promoting societal well-being and equitable development.