Africa’s economic transformation will require stronger trade integration, industrialization, agribusiness expansion and innovation, Deputy Trade Minister Sampson Ahi has said, as policymakers and faith leaders gathered to discuss the continent’s development agenda.
Speaking at the 2026 Let Africa Go Conference in Akwapim Mampong on behalf of Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Ahi said Africa was entering a period marked by “hope, resilience, innovation, and self-determination.”
The conference, held at the Anagkazo Campus under the theme “A New Dawn for Africa: Pursuing Visionary Innovations for Continental Transformation,” brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, faith leaders and civil society actors from across Africa and the diaspora.
“The clarion call of ‘Let Africa Go’ is not just spiritual; it is deeply economic and developmental,” Ahi said.
He said Africa’s development narrative was shifting away from poverty and underdevelopment toward one driven by the continent’s youthful population, entrepreneurial capacity, natural resources and growing innovation ecosystem.
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Ahi identified the African Continental Free Trade Area as one of the continent’s most significant economic opportunities, saying the agreement could unlock growth, create jobs and strengthen intra-African trade through a unified market.
The deputy minister also argued that long-term economic development must be anchored in ethical leadership and social values, warning against growth without accountability or direction.
“Development without values is not development. It is merely growth, and growth without direction can be as destructive as it is productive,” he said.
Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Ahmed Ibrahim said faith-based organizations had contributed significantly to education and healthcare delivery and should continue supporting Africa’s broader socio-economic development. He called for increased investment in human capital and digital technology, while urging greater collaboration among African institutions and stakeholders.
The Let Africa Go Movement, organizers of the conference, said the initiative aims to promote spiritual, cultural and social renewal across the continent through leadership development, partnerships and advocacy.
