Africa is on the cusp of an economic revolution, and the people must stop complaining but use the region’s potential to the fullest, leveraging private capital while enhancing good governance, experts say. 

Jason Miller, a former senior advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, said the region needs a complete rethink of U.S.-Africa trade relations, urging African leaders to reject debt-heavy development models and instead embrace transparent, investment-driven partnerships anchored in private capital and mutual accountability. 

Speaking at the 32nd Annual Meetings of Afreximbank in Abuja, Miller said Africa is at a pivotal moment, with the potential to emerge as a global economic powerhouse by mid-century—if it makes the right strategic decisions. 

“This is Africa’s century,” Miller declared, warning that unless opportunities are seized with long-term planning, governance, and reform, the continent could once again find itself exploited by global powers.

He cited forecasts showing Africa’s economy surpassing Europe’s by 2050, with Nigeria projected to rank among the world’s top 10 economies. But population growth alone, he argued, is not a development strategy. 

Demand real partnerships 

Miller said American investment—mainly through institutions like the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC)—offers some level of accountability and transparency, not burdensome debt. 

“Private capital wants returns, but it also demands governance and results. That’s the kind of accountability that lifts countries—not sinks them,” he said. 

Miller urged African governments to stabilise their economies, enforce the rule of law, and fight corruption to attract long-term U.S. investment.

He commended Nigeria’s recent currency reforms as a step in the right direction and cautioned against partnerships with countries that leave behind ecological damage and unsustainable debt, taking particular aim at China’s role in the region. 

He also issued a warning about the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a U.S. trade program set to expire in 2025, questioning whether it makes sense to extend one-way trade preferences to nations that impose tariffs on American goods or align with U.S. adversaries. 

Encouraging African leaders to be more engaged with the U.S. business community, Miller urged them to approach trade with clear priorities and reform agendas.

He cited Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE as examples of how targeted reforms can draw sustained American capital. 

Miller ended by announcing his new role as Senior Advisor to Gateway Partners, saying he plans to channel U.S. investment into Africa’s infrastructure, energy, and technology-linked supply chains. “Don’t settle for lip service,” he said.

“Demand real partnerships. That’s how Africa becomes powerful, wealthy, and great—on its own terms.”