Amadou Hott Unveils Transformative Vision for Africa’s Future at AfDB Summit

In an interview with CNBC Africa, Hott stressed that the fragmentation of African markets remains a critical bottleneck to investment and growth.

At the 2025 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB), presidential candidate Amadou Hott presented a bold and comprehensive vision for Africa’s economic transformation. The former Vice President of AfDB for Energy, Green Growth and Climate Change and former Minister of Economy, Planning, and Cooperation of Senegal, used a series of high-profile media engagements to advocate for a more integrated, entrepreneurial, and self-sufficient Africa.

Hott’s forward-looking agenda outlines actionable reforms to enhance regional integration, unlock private sector potential, and secure affordable financing for both public and private development. His vision is designed to propel Africa from aid dependency to a continent of self-driven, inclusive, and sustainable prosperity.

"We Are 1.4 Billion People, Yet Fragmented": A Call for Regional Integration

In an interview with CNBC Africa, Hott stressed that the fragmentation of African markets remains a critical bottleneck to investment and growth.

“We are 1.4 billion people, but we are scattered across many countries, each with its own rules and regulations. To attract massive investment and create jobs, we must work on our integration and improve intra-African trade,” he asserted.

Hott emphasized that streamlining cross-border trade regulations, investing in infrastructure for connectivity, and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are essential to enable economies of scale and make Africa a globally competitive bloc.

Private Sector at the Core: A Vision of Jobs and Economic Dynamism

Placing the private sector at the heart of his agenda, Hott committed to tripling the AfDB’s private sector operations within the next decade. A cornerstone of this plan is the creation of a dedicated Vice Presidency for Private Sector Development, which would coordinate programs for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large corporations, and startups across the continent.

This new structure would prioritize:

• Tailored credit lines and loan guarantees for African banks

• Expansion of digital financial inclusion tools

• Greater co-financing mechanisms with domestic and international investors

• Simplified procedures to accelerate private sector project implementation

“Without dynamic private sector growth, we cannot create jobs at the scale Africa needs,” said Hott.

---

Tackling Africa’s High Cost of Capital: From Risk to Opportunity

In a detailed discussion with Bloomberg, Hott described the high cost of capital as one of the largest obstacles to development across Africa. He urged a multipronged strategy to reduce the cost of borrowing by:

• Improving national and regional credit ratings

• Creating risk-sharing platforms for large infrastructure projects

• Leveraging Africa’s domestic pension and insurance funds

• Strengthening local capital markets

“Africa's future will be built not just on external support, but on our own wealth, our talent, and our ability to structure opportunities at scale,” Hott stated.

His vision calls for turning local resources into engines of growth, supported by a responsive and enabling development finance ecosystem.

---

Youth and Talent Retention: Making Emigration a Choice, Not a Necessity

In an interview with Business Day Nigeria, Hott connected his leadership journey to the broader narrative of Africa’s youth. Highlighting the continent’s pressing demographic challenge, he emphasized the need to turn youth emigration into a voluntary choice rather than a forced escape from joblessness.

“When our youth leave because they cannot find opportunity at home, that is not success—it is a sign that we must do more,” he said.

Hott’s platform promises increased investments in:

• Vocational and digital skills training

• Youth entrepreneurship hubs

• Scalable, youth-led agriculture and green economy projects

• Regional mobility programs for skilled African professionals

---

Institutional Agility and Stakeholder Partnerships

Hott envisions a reformed AfDB with greater speed, scale, and impact. He aims to streamline the Bank’s operations and reduce bureaucratic delays, ensuring faster deployment of funds and quicker delivery of results.

He emphasized the Bank’s role as a bridge builder among governments, development partners, the private sector, and African entrepreneurs. Collaboration, he insists, is non-negotiable in the face of shared challenges such as:

• Youth unemployment

• Extreme poverty

• Growing inequality

• Climate vulnerability

“My passion is Africa. I have always worked to mobilize resources, build partnerships, and deliver impact—not just for my country, but for the entire continent,” Hott said.

Charting a Future of Self-Reliance and Shared Prosperity

With international aid flows in decline and geopolitical tensions reshaping the development landscape, Amadou Hott’s campaign is built on a vision of African self-reliance. His policies focus on fostering an environment where Africa invests in itself—mobilizing its own wealth, empowering its youth, and capitalizing on its comparative advantages.

Through enhanced regional cooperation, robust institutions, private sector investment, and citizen-centered development, Hott aims to chart a new course for the African Development Bank as a dynamic engine for continental transformation.