By Professor Douglas BOATENG
Echoes of history – lessons yet to embrace
Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. Africa, a continent rich in resources, continues to be generous to the globe, yet often its people benefit the least.
The colonial wounds that should have taught Africa to protect its assets are reopening through a new form of exploitation, one that is not imposed but willingly accepted. In the past, foreign conquerors arrived bound by chains; today, they present contracts. The key difference is that Africa now consents to these agreements and contracts.
From Ghana’s gold to the Congo’s cobalt, Africa’s wealth has been extracted for centuries. While past invaders took by force, present-day partners obtain it through agreements and signed contracts. The issue lies not just in external exploitation but also in Africa’s self-negotiation tactics regarding the future of its resources.
A missed opportunity for negotiation – sacrificing tomorrow for today
The lure of immediate gains often blinds decision-makers to the generations they are mortgaging. Rather than negotiating, African leaders frequently resort to bargaining, a crucial distinction. Negotiation requires strategic foresight and a vision for sustainable development. Bargaining, on the other hand, prioritises short-term benefits at the cost of long-term prosperity.
Instead of leveraging Africa’s vast resources for industrialisation and self-sufficiency, many leaders opt for deals that provide short-lived financial relief. The Democratic Republic of Congo holds over 60% of the world’s known cobalt reserves, an essential mineral for electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy. Yet, despite billions in export revenue, its people remain among the poorest. The wealth stays in corporate boardrooms while Congolese miners dig with bare hands.
Some of the continent’s leaders continue to sign away mineral rights at rates that undermine their own sovereignty. Roads are paved with foreign loans. Railways connect mines to ports, not people to opportunities. Until Africa learns to negotiate instead of merely bargaining, the continent will remain a supplier of raw materials, watching as others profit from its untapped potential.
To rectify this, African leaders must engage professional negotiation experts, not just lawyers, financiers, and politicians, when discussing resource agreements and contracts. Negotiation is a science that balances economic foresight with strategic leverage. Bargaining is what traders do in open-air markets; negotiation is what nations do to secure their future.
The rise of resource-for-infrastructure deals – a Trojan Horse
A goat that doesn’t protect its pasture may find others happily using it. Africa has become a treasure trove for the world’s superpowers, who often seize its rich resources under the guise of development. China has skillfully navigated negotiations to secure long-term benefits for itself. Their successes and even their missteps deserve our respect. African leaders have the opportunity to learn from this approach and adapt it to their own needs instead of simply copying it.
Many infrastructure projects throughout Africa, like the construction of roads, bridges, and railways, are built in exchange for influence over vital resources. These ventures aren’t just giveaways; they represent carefully crafted agreements with lasting strategic intent. For example, Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway project, once hailed as revolutionary, has now shifted into a financial burden, raising concerns about how national assets are being used to pay off debts.
Africa’s roads may be paved with foreign loans, but they lead only to the ports where its wealth is shipped away.
The cost of bad deals – poverty, pollution, and dependency
When the forest disappears, so too does the rain. Poorly negotiated deals do not just drain wealth; they erode ecosystems, displace communities, and deepen economic dependency.
In Ghana, illegal gold mining has poisoned rivers. What should be a national treasure has become a national tragedy. The gold extracted makes millionaires abroad, while locals are left with barren lands and toxic water. The social cost is equally severe. Mining operations displace entire communities, leaving them with neither compensation nor alternatives. Leaders sign deals for quick cash to balance their budgets, forgetting that long after they are gone, the consequences remain.
Why Africa must change its approach
The future is not inherited; it is built. Africa has all the tools to be a global powerhouse: abundant resources, youthful populations, and untapped potential. But it must abandon the mentality of short-term survival and embrace strategic long-term planning.
Transparency and accountability in resource deals – Governments must ensure that agreements and contracts are negotiated with the people’s interests at heart. Every deal must withstand public scrutiny.
Value addition within Africa – Exporting raw materials is economic short-sightedness. Africa must invest in refineries, manufacturing, and value chains that retain wealth within its borders.
Environmental and social safeguards – Resources should not come at the cost of poisoned lands and displaced families. Strict environmental laws must be enforced.
Leveraging regional cooperation – Individual nations negotiate from a position of weakness. Africa must unite through the African Union and ECOWAS to demand better terms.
Training negotiation experts – Africa must invest in developing world class negotiation teams, composed of economists, industry experts, and strategists, not just legal advisors, financiers, and politicians.
Success stories – proof that change is possible
Africa need not look abroad for success models; it has them within its own borders. Botswana has used its diamond wealth to create a stable economy. Instead of letting foreign companies take all the profits, Botswana ensured a share of the revenues was reinvested into its people. Rwanda has transformed from a nation scarred by genocide into a beacon of economic progress, thanks to strong leadership, strategic planning, and self reliance. These nations show that when Africa stops playing the victim and starts negotiating from a position of strength, prosperity follows.
A call to action – building a future worth inheriting
An elder who plants a tree may never sit under its shade but ensures that others will. Africa must start planting trees for future generations. Leadership must not be about securing short-term and election-driven cycle wins but securing a nation’s generational future. Leaders must negotiate and not bargain with their nation’s resources. They must also invest in education and build industries that sustain their people. The scramble for Africa’s wealth is fiercer than ever. But Africa is not helpless. It can choose how to respond.
Conclusion – the time is now
Africa stands at a crossroads. The choices made today will determine whether its resources become a blessing or continue to be a curse. The inconvenient truth is that no one else will prioritise Africa’s interests. That responsibility lies solely with Africans. As the old adage says, “The earth is not inherited from our ancestors; it is borrowed from our children.”
What kind of legacy will we leave? If Africa continues to give away its treasure, it may one day find itself empty-handed: rich in memory but poor in reality. Let this be the moment Africa chooses differently. Let this be the moment Africa reclaims its future. The sun rises for all, but its warmth only touches those who step into the light. Africa must rise, not just in rhetoric, but in action. It is time to stop being spectators in the global economy and start being architects of its destiny.
History will judge this generation not by what it inherited but by what it built. The question is simple: Will Africa rise, or will it continue to watch others shape its future through bargaining rather than negotiation? The choice is ours.
>>>the writer is a globally celebrated thought leader, Chartered Director, industrial engineer, supply chain management expert, and social entrepreneur known for his transformative contributions to industrialisation, procurement, and strategic sourcing in developing nations.
As Africa’s first Professor Extraordinaire for Supply Chain Governance and Industrialization, he has advised governments, businesses, and policymakers, driving sustainability and growth. During his tenure as Chairman of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) and Labadi Beach Hotel, he led these institutions to global recognition for innovation and operational excellence. He is also the past chairman of the Public Procurement Authority.
A prolific author of over 90 publications, he is the creator of NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom), a thought-provoking platform with over one million daily readers. Through his visionary leadership, Professor Boateng continues to inspire ethical governance, innovation, and youth empowerment, driving Africa toward a sustainable and inclusive future.
