My speech in Abuja, the heart of Nigeria, our nation’s window to the world, spoke of how far we have come and how much further we must go. There is so much to be optimistic about – but my optimism requires public and private sectors to unite, for good.
I delivered the keynote remarks at the Abuja Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which brought together policymakers, business leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to catalyse ways we can shape a more prosperous Africa.
My message was simple: Sustainable change begins when the public and private sectors come together, not as adversaries, but as partners in progress.
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Private Sector: The Engine of Africa’s Transformation
Africa is at a pivotal moment. We are the world’s youngest continent, rich in natural resources, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy. Yet we continue to face challenges, youth unemployment, infrastructure deficits, limited access to finance, and the devastating effects of climate change.
We need to seize the chance to build a new African economy, driven not by aid, but by private sector leadership. Across the continent, businesses are already reimagining what is possible, from fintech innovators in Lagos to agribusiness entrepreneurs in Kigali.
At Heirs Holdings Group, this belief shapes everything we do. We call it Africapitalism; the conviction that Africa’s private sector must lead in transforming our continent, by investing long-term in critical sectors that create both economic and social wealth.
True business leadership is not just about profit; it is about progress. A broader commitment to our society and our continent.
Our Investments in Abuja: Vision Delivered
Heirs Holdings investments in Abuja reflect this philosophy in action. We have executed and delivered.
Through Transcorp Group, we transformed the Transcorp Hilton Abuja from an aging landmark into one of Africa’s leading hotels, a world-class symbol of African excellence.
This year, we deepened that commitment with the launch of the Transcorp Event Center, a 5,000-capacity, ultramodern facility positioning Abuja as a true business and tourism hub for Africa.
Through our investment in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), we are strengthening value chain delivery, with our power distribution company. We are providing access to power, because reliable electricity drives productivity, powers hospitals and schools, and fuels business growth.
Across our Group, we collectively employ over 7,000 Nigerians in the Federal Capital Territory. For us, every job created represents dignity restored and potential unlocked.
Empowering Young Entrepreneurs
Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), we have empowered over 24,000 young Africans, including 641 in Abuja, each receiving $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, alongside world-class training and mentorship. Because true prosperity cannot exist for one if the many still live in poverty.
The Social Contract for Africa’s Future
To sustain transformation, we need a new social contract, one that binds government, business, and citizens in trust and shared vision. Governments must create an enabling environment with stable policies, reliable infrastructure, and regulatory predictability.
In return, the private sector must invest ethically, locally, and with purpose, delivering impact that uplifts entire communities.
Predictable regulation builds investor confidence. Policy consistency attracts long-term capital. Trust is the currency of investment.
A Call to African Investors
At every forum I attend globally, I am asked: “Why invest in Africa when the risks are so high?”
My answer is simple: there is risk everywhere, but in Africa, the returns are higher, and the impact is deeper.
When you create one job in Africa, it is equivalent to a hundred elsewhere, because here, every opportunity transforms a family, and every success inspires a generation.
But we must also invest in our own continent. How can we expect others to believe in Africa if we do not? It is an unpatriotic act to make wealth here and store it elsewhere. We must make money, yes, but we must also build economies.
Our Mandate: Prosper Together
Africa’s story will not be written in boardrooms in New York, London, or Beijing, it will be written here, by African entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders who choose to turn potential into prosperity.
Let us align capital with vision. Let us believe in African excellence. Let us invest in African innovation.
As I told the audience in Abuja: “Building economies, investing in society, this must be the new African business ethos.”
Because when investors succeed, nations succeed. And when many prosper, peace endures.
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