The message at the climax of GHIB Converge 2025 in London could not have been clearer: Africa must stop giving away its wealth in raw form and start turning commodities into real value at home.
For three days, bankers, policymakers, and business leaders wrestled with one question: how can Africa move from being the world’s warehouse of raw cocoa, gold, and minerals, to becoming a powerhouse of chocolate, bullion, batteries, and finished goods?
GHIB CEO, Dean Adansi, said Africa is sitting on “untapped billions” because it still exports raw materials. “Why keep selling raw cocoa when the real money is in chocolate? Why send out raw gold instead of refined bullion? The solutions exist — but banks, policymakers and industry must work together,” he told delegates.
The sense of urgency was echoed by central bankers. Ghana’s First Deputy Governor, Dr. Zakaria Mumuni, said refining gold locally could strengthen reserves and protect the cedi against shocks. The Gambia’s central bank chief, Buah Saidy, stressed that domestic refining and regional value chains are critical to jobs and resilience.
Adding a political edge, Lord Paul Boateng, GHIB Board Member and former UK Cabinet Minister, said Africa must see its commodities as “bargaining chips” in global trade. “Critical minerals, cocoa, gold, these are not just exports. They are leverage for Africa to demand technology transfer, infrastructure, and fairer deals.”
The climax was marked by the recognition of Ghana’s own Niche Cocoa Industry Ltd. Its CEO, Edmund Poku, was honoured as Trader of the Year for proving that African firms can produce world-class cocoa products at scale, keeping value, jobs, and profits at home.
Panels over the three days covered everything from using AI in commodity trade to building ports and transport systems. But the bottom line was consistent: Africa can’t keep shipping raw goods while importing the finished products at ten times the price.
Closing the summit, Adansi captured the spirit of the moment. “This change will not come from government alone or business alone. It requires all of us. GHIB will keep building the bridge between African opportunity and global capital so Africa can finally earn what it deserves from its resources.”
For many in attendance, GHIB Converge 2025 felt less like a talk shop and more like a rallying cry — a call for Africa to own its future, not just dig it up.
