President Bola Tinubu said Nigeria has a youthful and restless population that will not accept excuses from his administration, while speaking at the ongoing Africa CEO Forum.
Tinubu arrived at the opening ceremony of the African CEO’s Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, on Thursday.
The forum focuses on how African nations can deepen regional integration, mobilise private capital, strengthen infrastructure, and build competitive industries capable of driving growth across the continent.
When asked about his optimism regarding the African Continental Free Trade Area and the mobilisation of domestic resources despite intra-African trade accounting for just 18 per cent of the continent’s total trade, Tinubu said, “I am. I am very optimistic. We have a very dynamic, youthful population—restless. Restless and not ready to take excuses. I’m a politician. If I don’t get them ready for that, they will vote me out.”
Regarding the question on how politics is affecting the integration of African Trade, President Tinubu answered, saying, “A politician is a critical member of your society. He must listen to you, respond to you, and answer to the public—be accountable.”
Earlier, President Tinubu urged African nations to prioritise stronger economic collaboration within the continent, stressing that Africa’s growth and prosperity depend largely on deeper regional partnerships, trade integration, and investment in local businesses.
Tinubu, while addressing political and business leaders on the future of economic development across the continent, said Africa must focus on building internal economic strength rather than relying heavily on external markets and foreign partnerships.
According to him, African countries must create opportunities for businesses to scale across borders through increased intra-African trade, improved infrastructure connectivity, and stronger support systems for the continent’s youthful and innovative population.
