Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere, The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity. WB Yeats
2025 was a fascinating year; MAGA returned with no restraint ending long established norms in diplomacy, economic policy, international aid, and upending the global world order.
In Africa, Sudan is falling apart, and the continent and the world seem indifferent. African economies continue to stagger. Overburdened by debt. Unable to create jobs. Corruption choking opportunity. Once again outside powers circle, hungry for Africa’s resources.
In Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Togo, Angola and most spectacularly Madagascar the youth exploded, fed up with an increasingly bleak future demanding better from their governments.
AI is changing everything, but we do not know how, the climate is evolving and we all seem to have given up on doing anything about it. The world is changing around Africa and to be frank the continent seemed caught in the headlights unable to adjust.
It is a brave new world, and a brave new Africa must emerge to confront and take advantage of it. To do so the continent must ruthlessly focus on creating jobs and opportunities not through aid and advice but by supporting and unleashing its private sector. Secondly, the continent must take advantage of the global hunger for minerals and third, we must develop our own internal market, most of all we must have the courage to do this.
2026 New Year’s Resolution 1: Unleash the Private Sector for Growth & Jobs
Africa needs jobs and growth. We have no choice, there are hundreds of millions of unemployed young people in need of jobs and opportunities, without which Madagascar will be the first of many Gen Z revolutions. These jobs will not come through aid, or fancy plans cooked up by MBA wielding consultants or by the World Bank and IMF, it will come through supporting and unleashing Africa’s private sector. By redesigning tax policy to be simple and easy and not an extractive punishment. By removing excessive regulation to enable business to innovate and move with speed and support by having coherent interlinked policy.
2026 should be the year that African businesses is set free to create jobs. Simplify taxes. Cut red tape. Let businesses breathe and create jobs.
New Year’s Resolution 2: Rare Earths for Africa
The AI revolution, energy transition, and digital transformation are all built on a foundation of critical minerals. America needs them, China needs them, Europe needs them, and Africa has them. This presents two unique opportunities for the continent.
- To raise revenue and build industry on the back of this demand by remaking mineral taxes on the Norwegian model and requiring extractives investors to invest in value addition or joint ventures or face significantly higher rates of taxation
- In a transactional world these minerals are Africa’s currency. How can the continent use its minerals to negotiate debt reduction, trade concessions, technology transfers etc.
In 2026 let us use Africa’s minerals for Africa benefit. Leverage our minerals. Demand fair deals. Build industries, not just mines.
New Year’s Resolution 3: The African market
African leaders are fond of the example of the Asian tigers, nations that pulled themselves out of poverty within a generation to become powerful modern economies. In fact, Kenya’s President Ruto, has made it his core promise to make Kenya the next Singapore. One of the lessons Africa always seems to miss from the Asian tigers is that they developed their own markets as a key pillar of their export led growth. South Korea Japan and Chinese companies learned how to do business, compete, and innovate at home and took those skills and competencies to the rest of the world.
Africa must do the same, back African businesses in African markets, promote competition among African firms. In a world where globalisation is evolving and protectionism is back in vogue, let us make 2026 the year African markets open to African businesses, so they can compete. Innovate. Win at home, then conquer the world.
2026 the year to be brave.
In crisis there is opportunity, at times of great change what was once impossible becomes imperative. The world is changing; the nature and pace of that change can seem bewildering and the crises overwhelming. In all this change and crisis, I see an opportunity for Africa. An opportunity to reshape the continents reality and trajectory from poverty and stagnation, to dignity, opportunity, and wealth. That will require a backbone. Taking advantage of this opportunity will require courage from leaders and policy makers, to think differently, try new ideas and most importantly to unleash Africa’s potential. If there is one new years resolution and prayer that Africans should be making, it that our leaders will finally grow a backbone and be brave.
Eugene, this is a powerful and timely piece. The Yeats quote lands hard because it feels less like poetry and more like a description of the moment we’re living in. You articulate well the disorder in the global system and Africa’s exposed position within it.
I agree with the core argument. 2026 cannot be a year of hesitation. Jobs, a functioning private sector, mineral leverage, and stronger internal markets are no longer policy debates, they’re survival issues.
Where I’d add a layer, from a founder’s perspective, is this: even if all three resolutions are directionally right, the bottleneck remains execution on the ground. Most founders have already accepted that government behaviour, bureaucracy, gatekeeping, black tax, and extractive politics are constants, not variables. Few are waiting for the system to change before they build.
The real question many are quietly asking is: how do you operate, grow, and survive in poisoned water without losing your capital, your health, or your soul?
That’s where I think a new breed of African founder is emerging. Not because they want to operate in dysfunction, but because adaptation becomes a necessity. History has seen this before. When systems are hostile, operators evolve first, and the rules get rewritten much later. Think bootlegging America, not as a moral example, but as a systems one.
The risk, as you indirectly point out, is that if this adaptation stays informal and extractive, it becomes irreversible. The opportunity is if founders consciously design operational pathways that work despite the environment, not because of it, while still holding on to integrity and long-term thinking.
So yes, leaders need courage. But I’d also say founders are already growing a spine under pressure. What they need now is shared language, protection where possible, and frameworks that help them navigate reality without pretending it isn’t there.
Strong article. It asks the right questions at the right time.