Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmed Satomi, has called on African nations to break free from dependence on Western powers and instead harness the continent’s vast human and natural resources to chart a self-reliant path toward peace, development, and prosperity.
Delivering an address during the gala night of the 8th Conference of the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees in Abuja, Satomi said the time had come for African countries to act with a unified voice, take control of their destiny, and build a continent that reflects its true potential.
“We have to delete the notion, the thinking that we can’t do without the West’s influence. Africa is one of the best continents in the globe. There is no reason for anyone to be poor. We have everything it takes as a continent to stand on our peaks,” he said.
He warned that unless African leaders took bold steps to confront the continent’s challenges, ranging from terrorism, food insecurity, and youth unemployment to weak industrial capacity and inherited conflicts, the dream of a prosperous Africa would remain elusive.
Satomi, who emerged as the new President of the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees, for a two year tenure at the Conference, said he would use his tenure to champion greater coordination, information sharing, and legislative action to tackle Africa’s security and development gaps.
“With your support, with your input, we will pilot the appearance of this great network and reposition it to reflect the entire African country,” he said.
Referencing Africa’s rising population and resource wealth, Satomi said, “The GDP of Africa is expected to increase to about 4.1, which is higher than the predicted 3.2 by the world. Sub-Saharan African growth is projected to reach up to 3.5% in 2025 and further appreciate up to 4.3 in 2027.”
He emphasized the continent’s demographic strength as both a challenge and an opportunity. “It will interest you to know the projected increase of about 740 million people within the age of population by 2050. Then, 12 million youths enter the labor market every year. But the challenge is that only 3 million new formal jobs are currently created annually.,” he warned.
Satomi said the security-development nexus must be urgently addressed, noting that peace and progress are inseparable.
The event was hosted by the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation and the Network of African Parliamentarians for Defence and Security Committees.
