‘Fix Africa from within’ – Amina Mohammed charges leaders

2026-02-12 - 11:08

By Joseph Erunke Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Amina Mohammed, on Thursday, delivered a stirring call for African unity and institutional reform, warning that rising geopolitical tensions and fractured global leadership have left the world dangerously unstable and Africa vulnerable. Speaking at the Leadership Annual Conference and Awards 2025, the Nigerian diplomat said the time had come for Africa and other middle-power nations to close ranks, strengthen their institutions and assert a coherent voice on the global stage. Dr. Mohammed painted a sobering picture of a world strained by nations seeking to reclaim past dominance and others retreating into narrow, self-first agendas, trends she said are fuelling conflicts and deepening global uncertainty. “We see countries today wanting to be what they used to be before, wanting to be how big they used to be before. That is creating a lot of tension around the world,” she said. “And then there are those saying ‘XYZ first,’ which is also creating its own conflicts. She warned that when major global actors, including founding members of the United Nations, deviate from established norms and responsibilities, the ripple effects destabilise the international system. Yet amid the turbulence, she insisted the UN remains a vital platform. “The UN represents the global village. We may not have the same muscle, but we have a voice,” she said. “And with that voice, we must continue to speak for the poorest and most vulnerable.” Turning her focus to the continent, Dr. Mohammed said Africa’s greatest handicap is not lack of resources but lack of unity. “The African Union is our vehicle. It may not be perfect. It may be slightly broken. But it is ours, and we must fix it,” she declared. From Nigeria’s local governments to ECOWAS, the AU and the UN, she stressed that unity must begin at home before Africa can speak with authority abroad. Today, she lamented, Africa’s global positions are often shaped by external narratives, particularly in emerging strategic sectors like critical minerals. “Others are determining how those transactions will happen in Africa,” she said, adding that fragmented positions among African states weaken the continent’s bargaining power. On ECOWAS and the recent political fractures within West Africa, she acknowledged severe challenges but urged simultaneous investment in peace and development. “Conflict is real for millions of Africans. But if we want sustainable peace, we must invest in people and the environment at the same time,” she said. “You cannot wait for conflict to end before addressing its root causes,” she added. She also pointed to external forces exacerbating African instability and decried the lack of adequate resources for African-led peace enforcement initiatives, despite UN resolutions supporting them. “Our voice is not united. And that weakens our ask,” she said pointedly. With nearly 70 percent of Africa’s population under 30, Dr. Mohammed warned that marginalising young people amounts to mortgaging the continent’s future. She criticised what she described as tokenistic engagement with young people, where consultation replaces genuine participation. “We cannot treat 70 percent of our population as tick-boxes. Youth must co-create their future,” she said. Calling for urgent education reform, she argued for a renewed alignment between education and labour markets, recalling an era when ministries worked in sync to prepare graduates for employment. “We did not educate for fresh air. We are educated to place people in jobs,” she said. At the heart of the problem, she added, is institutional neglect. “You cannot build a house without water and expect it to stand,” she said metaphorically, adding, “From local governments to the federal level, if you do not fix institutions, the house will fall.” Public sector reform, she noted, may not yield quick political wins but remains foundational to sustainable development. “Nigeria at the Centre” In one of the most personal moments of the session, Dr. Mohammed reflected on receiving Nigeria’s national honours, describing the GCON title as deeply symbolic, particularly as recognition of women’s contributions to nation-building. “I don’t take it lightly. It represents women in Nigeria,” she said. As her current UN tenure winds down later this year, she signalled her intention to return home after a decade abroad. “The real building of nations is done by its people at home. Nigeria must be the foundation for Africa’s ambitions,” she said. She urged Nigerians to place the country at the centre of their decisions and investments, echoing a reformulated version of John F. Kennedy’s famous charge. Describing Nigeria as a complex and diverse nation of over 242 million people, she dismissed simplistic comparisons with smaller African states. “Each of our states is equivalent to a country in Africa. If we invest in them, the sum becomes greater than its parts. Then it becomes Nigeria. Then it becomes Africa,” she said. While acknowledging that governments across the continent are making efforts, she admitted progress remains uneven. “Are we there yet? No. We have miles to go,” she said. Her closing message was both cautionary and hopeful: Africa possesses the tools, platforms and demographic strength to shape its destiny, but only if it chooses unity over fragmentation, investment over rhetoric, and institution-building over short-term politics.