A prominent African brand strategist has sparked continental debate by arguing that Africa should be allowed to “walk before it runs,” focusing on fundamental development needs rather than adopting Western priorities that may hinder the continent’s natural growth trajectory.
David Coleman, founder of COLE and a leadership advisor who describes himself as “changing the way Africans see Africa,” has challenged the conventional approach to African development, arguing that the continent is being strangled by imported debates and Western agendas while still struggling with basic development necessities.
Coleman’s argument centers on what he describes as premature pressure on African nations to engage with advanced global issues including climate change commitments, artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, digital rights frameworks, gender politics, plastic bans, and mental health safeguards. He contends that this focus diverts critical resources and attention from addressing fundamental challenges affecting millions of Africans who still lack reliable electricity, clean water, decent healthcare, and functioning road infrastructure.
The strategist’s perspective aligns with broader conversations about African development priorities, as citizens of African countries want inclusive growth, well-paying jobs, and decent housing, with deep concerns around lack of affordable and reliable electricity, lack of clean cooking solutions, runaway inflation, and declining purchasing power.
Drawing sharp historical parallels, Coleman illustrates how current global economic powers developed without the constraints now imposed on Africa. He notes that in 1910, the United States resembled Nigeria’s current GDP levels, while the United Kingdom in 1913 matched Ghana’s present economic position. Germany in 1925 paralleled where South Africa stands today, and Japan in 1960 mirrored Kenya’s current economy.
His analysis suggests that these nations prioritized “dirty growth before clean growth” and industry before identity debates during their developmental phases. Coleman argues that none of these countries were required to draft treaties on digital governance or police inclusion frameworks while building their foundational infrastructure, expanding literacy, constructing power grids, hospitals, and establishing stable governance systems.
The critique extends to what Coleman characterizes as Western hypocrisy in African development discourse. He points to contradictions where Western governments condemn corruption in Africa while protecting tax havens that facilitate illicit financial flows, preach inclusion and human rights while tightening immigration policies, and benefit from unfair trade arrangements while criticizing African governance failures.
Coleman’s recommendations for African development priorities follow a sequential approach: first, stabilize governance and establish rule of law; second, guarantee basic necessities including electricity, food security, and healthcare; third, pursue industrialization and build sustainable growth infrastructure. Only after achieving these foundations, he argues, should Africa devote resources to advanced global debates that wealthier nations can afford to prioritize.
The timing of this debate carries particular significance as Africa is forecast to be one of the largest sources of global economic growth over the next 50 years, but the continent’s demographic dividend could lead to mass migration and subsequent rise of far-right governments across Europe if development challenges remain unaddressed.
African development institutions are already implementing strategies that reflect some of Coleman’s priorities. The African Development Bank’s 2024-2033 strategy focuses on lighting up and powering Africa, feeding Africa for food self-sufficiency, industrializing Africa, economically integrating Africa, and improving quality of life, emphasizing foundational infrastructure over advanced policy frameworks.
However, Coleman’s perspective contrasts with established international development approaches. The United Nations Development Programme’s 2024 Africa Sustainable Development Report focuses on ending poverty, eliminating hunger, combating climate change, promoting peaceful societies, and strengthening global partnerships, reflecting the multi-faceted approach that Coleman critiques.
The debate reflects broader tensions in development strategy, as sustainable development strategies should primarily focus on the needs of African peoples, rather than on foreign partners’ interests in making Africa another major manufacturer and service center for their national consumption, with agriculture-focused development strategies prioritizing local needs.
Coleman’s argument resonates particularly strongly given Africa’s demographic reality, with over 60 percent of the continent’s population under 25 years old. The choices made regarding development priorities today will significantly influence whether this demographic dividend becomes an asset for sustained growth or a source of instability and migration pressure.
The strategist emphasizes that Africa doesn’t need “pity, shortcuts, or saviors” but requires “clarity of sequence and courage of persistence.” He warns that distorted priorities could cripple already weak systems across the continent, arguing that focusing inward to solve fundamental challenges may be Africa’s best contribution to global development.
Critics of Coleman’s approach might argue that global challenges like climate change require immediate, coordinated action that cannot wait for sequential development phases. However, his supporters contend that attempting to address advanced policy issues without stable foundations may ultimately prove counterproductive for both African development and global objectives.
The debate highlights fundamental questions about development sovereignty and the right of nations to determine their own priority sequences. Coleman’s call for African courage in setting continental priorities reflects growing sentiment among African thinkers who advocate for development approaches rooted in African realities rather than external expectations.
As African leaders prepare for various international summits and commitment processes throughout 2025, Coleman’s framework offers an alternative lens for evaluating which global initiatives align with immediate continental needs versus those that may divert scarce resources from foundational development requirements.
The conversation Coleman has initiated extends beyond academic debate to practical policy implications, potentially influencing how African governments allocate limited resources between competing domestic needs and international commitments. His call for sequential development priorities challenges both African leaders and international partners to reconsider conventional approaches to continental development strategy.
