President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called for an ideological revolution to unlock Africa’s economic potential, arguing that the continent’s primary challenge is a lack of strategic clarity rather than a shortage of funds.
Speaking at the Africa We Build Summit 2026 on Thursday, the President addressed a high-level gathering of public and private sector leaders. President William Ruto and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) organized the summit to transition African infrastructure from theoretical priority to practical implementation.
President Museveni expressed his approval of the AFC’s current strategic direction during the summit.
“I am glad that the AFC are speaking my language, the language of revolution,” President Museveni stated.
The President highlighted the stark contrast between Africa’s vast resources and its current economic output. He noted that Africa’s GDP remains at approximately $3.6 trillion despite its massive landmass and growing population. He compared this to the transformation of countries like China, which rose from poverty through discipline and clarity of purpose.
President Museveni insisted that Africa must stop addressing its problems in isolation to achieve real growth. He identified several "strategic bottlenecks" that continue to hinder the continent's progress. These include ideological disorientation, weak state structures, fragmented markets, and low value addition. He also cited underdeveloped infrastructure and gaps in human resource development as major hurdles.
“If we resolve the strategic bottlenecks... Africa will be unstoppable,” he asserted.
The President arrived in Nairobi earlier on Thursday morning to engage with fellow heads of state, investors, and development partners. He emphasized that strengthening collaboration is essential to accelerate the socio-economic transformation of the continent.
The summit continues to focus on finding practical financing solutions to bridge Africa’s infrastructure gap.