Africa’s elite holding continent back – NIPR President

By Abubakar Yunusa

The President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr Ike Neliaku, has blamed Africa’s development challenges on the failure of the continent’s political and business elite to prioritise societal interests above personal gains.

He described the situation as a conspiracy of the elite, accusing those in positions of authority of pursuing personal interests rather than taking responsibility for the development of their societies.

Neliaku spoke at the ongoing 2026 Institution International Step Delegate Leadership Summit, organised in collaboration with Love of Africa Now STI, in Abuja on Monday.

He said Africa’s development would remain elusive unless leaders demonstrated the commitment to transform productivity, improve performance and deliver measurable progress.

“The elite are the biggest problem of Africa, and I call it conspiracy of the elites, because the elites have conspired to see that everybody is after his pocket and his mouth, not after the society,” he said.

The NIPR president lamented that while many people with opportunities to lead were unwilling to take responsibility, those willing to make a difference were often denied the opportunity.

“The few that are willing to take responsibility don’t have the opportunity. The majority that have the opportunity are not willing to take responsibility.

“That is the dilemma of our nationhood and our continent,” he added.

He also criticised what he described as a leadership culture that prioritises endless official engagements at the expense of critical thinking and strategic planning.

According to him, many African leaders are so occupied with official programmes that they have little time to reflect on the challenges confronting their countries.

“The challenge of programming. We’ve always said, for me, there is that mystery. I call it the mystery behind ruling without thinking, otherwise known as leadership rat race,” he said.

Neliaku added, “We have been programmed that once you assume position of authority and leadership in Africa, you become very busy. And when you are so busy, you don’t think. And when you don’t think, you cannot process.”

He cited ministers, governors and chief executives as examples of public office holders whose daily schedules are often dictated by others.

The NIPR president, however, expressed optimism that Africa could overcome its development challenges if its leaders embraced responsibility and committed themselves to rebuilding the continent.

He insisted that the responsibility for Africa’s transformation rested primarily with Africans, arguing that foreign partners could offer suggestions but could not provide solutions on the continent’s behalf.

“Africa will not be reinvented by outsiders. Outsiders can only give you suggestions. They can only raise the issues… but they will not give you the solution,” he said.

“The reason is that they are also interested in solution for themselves. So Africa has to reinvent Africa.”

Earlier, the Founder and Director-General of the Institute for Transformation International and Convener of LANST-NET, Prof Vincent Anigbogu, called on African countries to move away from excessive dependence on imported finished products and embrace competitive production and value addition.

He also warned that the continent could not afford to enter the age of artificial intelligence with institutions still struggling to discharge their basic responsibilities.

Anigbogu said Africa must move beyond consuming knowledge to creating, commercialising and deploying it to drive economic development.

He lamented the continent’s continued dependence on raw material exports, saying countries that manufacture goods were performing better than those that merely possessed abundant natural resources.

“We must move from excessive dependence on importing finished products towards competitive production and value addition.

“From mainly consuming knowledge to creating and commercialising knowledge.

“We are now in the season of knowledge commercialisation. Nations are moving rapidly to take advantage of that,” he said.

He added that African countries must stop celebrating their potential and comparative advantages without making deliberate efforts to develop competitive advantages.

“The question is no longer whether Africa possesses the potential, and we are always talking about that. Yes, we do,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Skyfarm Aerial Spray Limited, Mr Olusola Segun, urged African countries to prepare young people to become innovators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers rather than merely pursuing academic qualifications.

He said education should equip young Africans with the practical skills required to develop technologies, establish businesses, improve healthcare and strengthen agriculture.

“We must prepare young Africans not merely to pass examinations, acquire certificates and seek employment, but to become creators, problem solvers, entrepreneurs and innovators,” he said.

Segun said the responsibility for preparing young people for the future should be shared by parents, teachers, governments and the private sector.

“Parents must nurture good character. Teachers must inspire curiosity. Governments must expand access to quality education. Industry must invest in young talent and practical innovation,” he added.

He called for an Africa where poverty would not deprive children of opportunities to develop their potential, stressing that innovation and character development were essential to transforming the continent.