Africa has no excuse to remain poor, AfDB President Adesina
With $6.2 trillion worth of natural resources, 65 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, and a vibrant youth population, Africa has no excuse to be poor, African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina said on Tuesday.
He said the continent must look inward urgently to solve its many challenges and urged citizens to hold governments accountable for poverty.
The bank president made the call in Lagos where he delivered a lecture to mark the 40th anniversary of The Guardian, Nigeria’s foremost independent newspaper with the theme, For the World to Respect Africa.
He said considering the vast natural resources that Africa has, it must become a continent that grows inclusive and well-distributed wealth.
He explained further: “Saudi Arabia has oil, as does Nigeria. Kuwait has oil, as does Nigeria. Qatar has abundant gas, as does Nigeria and other countries.
Yet, Nigeria is the country with the largest share of its population living below the extreme poverty line in 2023 in Africa. Clearly, there is something fundamentally wrong in our management, or rather mismanagement, of our natural resources.”
Africa has no excuse to remain poor, AfDB President Adesina
With $6.2 trillion worth of natural resources, 65 per cent of the world’s uncultivated arable land, and a vibrant youth population, Africa has no excuse to be poor, African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina said on Tuesday.
He said the continent must look inward urgently to solve its many challenges and urged citizens to hold governments accountable for poverty.
The bank president made the call in Lagos where he delivered a lecture to mark the 40th anniversary of The Guardian, Nigeria’s foremost independent newspaper with the theme, For the World to Respect Africa.
He said considering the vast natural resources that Africa has, it must become a continent that grows inclusive and well-distributed wealth.
He explained further: “Saudi Arabia has oil, as does Nigeria. Kuwait has oil, as does Nigeria. Qatar has abundant gas, as does Nigeria and other countries.
Yet, Nigeria is the country with the largest share of its population living below the extreme poverty line in 2023 in Africa. Clearly, there is something fundamentally wrong in our management, or rather mismanagement, of our natural resources.”
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