There is intense competition by external powers to influence affairs in Africa and exploit its resources. The continent continues to be trapped in unviable fragmented markets and weak supply chains prompted by European containment investment models that focused on spheres of influence at independence, cold war era legacy, value systems driven by foreign policies, and the current fear of African migrants. The containment also manifests in pegging African currencies on European currencies, protection of European markets, projection of military power, and driving of narratives that make the West and Europe appear to be the center of the world.

The world is changing with new global players crafting their own models to engage with Africa. Africa has the opportunity to leverage on the renewed interest from the West and emerging global actors to craft an investment model that can lead to efficient intra-African supply chains, cross-country infrastructure development, value addition on the continent, and boosting energy security, while modernizing technology, and information and communication technologies.

The new investment model should focus on activating indigenous African systems (medicine, foods, knowledge, skills and talent) to interoperate with international systems and ensure timely and precise deliverables whose reach transcends regional geographies, beyond the Eurocentric nation-state maps on the continent.

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