The Senior Presidential Advisor on Agri-business and Value Addition, Dr. Hillary Emmanuel Musoke, has urged African governments to accelerate industrialization and value addition, warning that the continued export of raw materials is depriving the continent of jobs, wealth, and economic independence.
Speaking during the 2026 African Union Day commemorations in Nairobi, Kenya, Dr. Musoke told delegates that Africa’s long-term prosperity will depend on its ability to process and manufacture its own products rather than exporting unprocessed commodities to foreign markets.
Dr. Musoke made the remarks during a high-level panel discussion themed “Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want” held at the Edge Convention Centre on May 25.
He described Africa’s dependence on exporting raw agricultural products as an “economic hemorrhage,” saying the continent continues to lose billions of dollars annually through limited local processing and industrial capacity.
“Africa is not poor in land, labour, or water. We are poor in value,” Dr. Musoke said. “In that gap, we are exporting both jobs and wealth in containers. We are exporting our sovereignty.”
He noted that despite possessing nearly 60 percent of the world’s uncultivated arable land and vast freshwater resources, Africa still spends more than $50 billion every year importing food. According to him, the continent has failed to fully exploit its natural advantage, particularly in organic agriculture and agro-processing.
Using Uganda’s coffee industry as an example, Dr. Musoke explained that African countries continue to export raw coffee beans while foreign companies earn significantly higher profits from roasting, branding, packaging, and retailing the finished products.
He revealed that Uganda alone loses more than $1.5 billion annually due to the export of unprocessed agricultural commodities.
“The most painful symptom of this hemorrhage is migration,” he said. “Young Africans are risking everything to leave for Europe, the Middle East, and the United States because we have not built industries at home.”
Dr. Musoke linked Uganda’s development agenda to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 framework, saying the country is prioritizing agro-industrialization and commercialization of agriculture under President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership.
He highlighted government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model, agro-processing zones, standards laboratories, organic certification systems, and youth-centered agricultural technologies aimed at transforming farming into a modern commercial sector.
The Ugandan delegation also emphasized the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), arguing that stronger intra-African trade would create sustainable markets for processed African goods and reduce dependence on external economies.
Several speakers at the summit echoed similar concerns over Africa’s economic structure and called for stronger regional integration, industrial policy reforms, and investment in youth innovation.
Pan-African scholar PLO Lumumba warned that Africa’s rapidly growing youthful population could either become a major economic advantage or a source of instability if governments fail to create employment opportunities through industrial growth.
To accelerate the continent’s transformation, Dr. Musoke proposed four key reforms, including harmonizing trade policies across African states, increasing financing for agro-industrial enterprises, reforming education systems to prioritize technical skills, and establishing African-owned certification and manufacturing brands.
He also challenged African governments to conduct comprehensive value-chain analyses to identify industries that can be developed locally from existing agricultural production.
“No more exporting hides and importing shoes. No more exporting cotton and importing second-hand clothes. No more exporting sovereignty in containers,” he said.
Analysts attending the event said the discussions reflected a growing shift among African policymakers toward domestic manufacturing, regional value chains, and economic self-reliance amid rising global trade disruptions, climate pressures, and unemployment.
Closing his remarks, Dr. Musoke urged African leaders to view agriculture not simply as farming, but as a strategic driver of industrialization, sovereignty, and continental transformation.
“A prosperous Africa,” he said, “is an Africa that processes what it produces.”
Calls for Greater African Unity
During the summit, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye also called for stronger continental unity, accelerated regional integration, and reforms to global governance systems.
The leaders made the remarks as Africa marked 63 years since the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), emphasizing the need for the continent to speak with one voice on international issues.
Youssouf highlighted Africa’s growing global influence, including its permanent representation in the G20, and renewed calls for reforms at the United Nations Security Council to ensure fair African representation.
He also commended ongoing efforts toward reparatory justice for slavery and colonialism, particularly initiatives championed by Ghana at the United Nations.
President Ndayishimiye raised concerns about conflicts, terrorism, climate-related disasters, and limited access to education, warning that these challenges continue to threaten Africa’s future.
He called on African countries to strengthen cooperation in combating terrorism and prioritize education for refugees and displaced children across the continent.
Both leaders supported calls for full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, describing it as essential for industrialization, economic growth, and youth employment.
They further stressed the importance of water security, sanitation, and climate resilience under the African Union’s 2026 Agenda 2063 theme.
The summit also celebrated Africa’s growing global presence in sports, including a record nine African nations qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, which leaders described as a sign of the continent’s expanding talent and ambition.
The leaders concluded by encouraging Africans to embrace Pan-Africanism, unity, and collective progress as the continent works toward achieving the aspirations of Agenda 2063.