Transactional Leadership Holding Africa Back, Says Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has blamed Africa’s slow development on what he described as a culture of transactional and mediocre leadership that prioritises personal gain over public service.

Speaking at the 2025 Innovate Africa Conference held at the ECOWAS Conference Hall, Abuja, Wike said the continent’s vast potential has been stifled by self-serving politics and weak governance systems that failed to translate its resources into prosperity.

“Africa today stands at a historic crossroads,” he said. “On one hand, we are blessed with immense natural wealth, youthful energy, and creative potential; yet we continue to grapple with weak institutions, infrastructural decay, poverty, and widespread unemployment. This is the paradox of our age — how can a continent so richly endowed remain so constrained?”

Delivering a keynote address titled “Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment,” the Minister noted that the continent’s leadership trajectory, both in military and civilian eras, has long been shaped by conspiracies and ambitions detached from national interest.

Wike said Africa’s post-independence experience has been one of “groping in the dark,” as many leaders emerged unprepared for the weight of national responsibility.

“Consequently, we keep experimenting with the fundamentals of development — basic infrastructure, healthcare, credible institutions, and functional economies. The result has been decades of missed opportunities,” he stated.

He called for a paradigm shift from transactional leadership — driven by patronage and short-term gain — to transformational leadership anchored on vision, courage, and accountability.

“The time has come to move beyond transactional leadership to embrace transformational governance that empowers rather than exploits, serves rather than rules, and builds rather than blames,” he said.

The former Rivers State governor urged African leaders to rediscover the ethos of servant-leadership, describing it as leadership defined by empathy, humility, and a shared sense of responsibility.

“Africa needs servant-leaders — not bosses who command, but mentors who inspire. Leadership is not about power or position; it is about trust, service, and shared purpose,” he added.

Citing Abuja’s ongoing infrastructural renewal as an example, Wike said vision backed by political will can transform aspirations into tangible progress.

“In Abuja, we have seen how infrastructural renewal, anchored on commitment and accountability, can redefine a city’s identity and inspire public confidence,” he said. “Roads once impassable now connect communities, and abandoned spaces now thrive with enterprise.”

Wike also commended President Bola Tinubu’s “courageous and reform-driven leadership,” especially his decision to remove fuel subsidy — a policy he said previous administrations lacked the will to implement.

According to him, Tinubu’s commitment to decentralising governance, devolving development through regional commissions, and strengthening security institutions represents a decisive step toward genuine national transformation.

“Leadership remains the fulcrum upon which the destinies of nations turn. When leadership is visionary, accountable, and courageous, even the most daunting obstacles can be transformed into opportunities,” Wike said.

In her opening address, President and Founder of Innovate Africa Corporation, Uloma Onyebuchi, said Africa’s transformation must begin from within, emphasizing that true development would only emerge when the continent stops outsourcing its ideas and leadership models to external powers.

“Africa’s development story must be written by Africans themselves,” Onyebuchi declared. “Sustainable progress starts from within — with governance that inspires trust, technology that connects us, and leadership that empowers communities.”

She described Innovate Africa as more than an annual conference, but a “movement” that celebrates African excellence, amplifies local innovation, and challenges outdated systems that limit the continent’s potential.

“This isn’t just another event,” she told delegates. “It’s a movement that celebrates African excellence, amplifies local innovation, and challenges us to think boldly about the future we are building together.”

Onyebuchi called for deeper collaboration across sectors and nations, noting that Africa’s growth would be accelerated through shared ideas, digital inclusion, creative industries, and visionary leadership that empowers the next generation.

“The future of Africa depends on our ability to collaborate — to turn ideas into impact and innovation into purpose,” she said. “Let’s make today a celebration of Africa’s potential and a reminder that the future truly begins here.”