Rabiu Calls for Africa-Wide Industrial Revolution at CEO Forum

Founder and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has urged African leaders and businesses to embrace coordinated industrialisation and move away from dependence on raw commodity exports in order to secure the continent’s economic future.

Rabiu made the call while speaking at the Africa CEO Forum held in Kigali, where he stressed that Africa must reposition itself within the rapidly changing global economic landscape by building integrated production systems capable of adding value to local resources.

According to him, ongoing geopolitical tensions, shifting global alliances and changes in international supply chains present Africa with a unique opportunity to rethink its economic model and pursue large-scale industrial transformation.

“We meet at a time when the global economic order is being reshaped in real time,” Rabiu said.

“Geopolitical tensions, shifting alliances and reconfigured supply chains are redefining how the world produces and trades. This is not only about growth, it is about resilience.”

The billionaire businessman lamented that despite Africa possessing more than 30 per cent of the world’s mineral resources, the continent continues to benefit minimally because most raw materials are exported without processing or industrial value addition.

“Africa has over 30% of the world’s minerals but adds little value. So, when raw materials leave without transformation, value leaves with them,” he stated.

Rabiu argued that sustainable growth across the continent would depend on Africa’s ability to establish integrated industrial value chains that convert local resources into finished products within African economies.

“So, if Africa is to grow and scale, it must shift from commodity export to integrated industrial value chains,” he added.

He also criticised what he described as weak implementation of African integration policies, particularly regarding free movement and intra-African trade, noting that Africans still face visa restrictions within the continent while visitors from outside Africa often enjoy easier access.

“Being in Africa turned away because I do not have a visa and foreigners from other continents coming in without a visa. This must change,” he said.

Rabiu further stated that Africa’s major challenge was no longer lack of ambition, but poor coordination and weak execution among governments, institutions and private sector players.

“Your excellencies, Africa does not lack ambition, what it has lacked is coordinated execution at scale,” he declared.

He maintained that the continent’s progress would ultimately be measured by the institutions and systems built to drive economic transformation rather than speeches and declarations.

“History will not judge us by the speeches we deliver, it will judge us by the systems we build and whether they enable Africa to rise at scale,” he said.

Calling for urgent and decisive action, Rabiu said Africa had reached a defining moment in its development journey.

“The moment is here. The choice is ours and the time is now. Africa at scale is not an aspiration, it is a decision,” he stated.