Ugandan business magnate Charles Mbire has called on African leaders and investors to put homegrown innovation at the center of the continent’s next development leap, warning that continued overreliance on foreign models could derail progress.
Speaking at the Africa Unlocked 2025 summit hosted in Johannesburg and headlined by top corporate leaders from Standard Bank, MTN, Accenture, and BSG, Mbiire emphasized that the continent must stop importing ideas and instead refine and scale local solutions designed by Africans for Africa.
“We are past the phase of feasibility studies. It’s time to execute boldly and intentionally,” Mbiire stated. “The global south will not wait for Africa to catch up unless we design and fund our own future.”
Mbiire, a cornerstone of Uganda’s private sector with interests spanning telecom, finance, and energy, was part of a high-level panel alongside Sim Tshabalala (CEO, Standard Bank Group), Mteto Nyati (Executive Chairman, BSG), and Vukani Mngxati (CEO, Accenture Africa). The session, titled “Leading with Boldness, Purpose and Authenticity,” tackled Africa’s urgent need for youth-centered innovation, institutional resilience, and new leadership paradigms.
He challenged African governments to create enabling environments for entrepreneurship and tech-driven development, warning against bureaucracies that stifle growth.
“Our young people are coding solutions in garages. They don’t need handouts—they need systems that work,” he said, drawing applause.
Mbiire also underscored the importance of reclaiming Africa’s narrative, saying that investors too often rely on outdated or skewed perceptions of the continent. “We must tell our own story—with data, with results, with pride,” he said.
His remarks resonated strongly in a room filled with business executives, policymakers, and development strategists looking for pathways to lift Africa’s economies beyond aid dependency and into global competitiveness.
The Africa Unlocked 2025 platform, spearheaded by Standard Bank, aims to reimagine Africa’s future through intentional leadership and authentic partnerships, under the rallying call of “Bold Ideas, African Realities.”
