The persistent underdevelopment of African nations stems not from a scarcity of leaders but from the absence of functional systems that serve ordinary citizens. T
his was the central argument advanced by business leader Yaw Nsarkoh in a recent episode of the Leadership in Africa Redefined podcast hosted by Busara Africa’s Taaka Awori.
Nsarkoh, known for his systems-thinking approach, delivered a penetrating analysis of Africa’s governance crisis. He traced current failures to the postcolonial state’s fundamental design – institutions that preserved colonial structures rather than reengineering them for public service. “The post-colonial state was never redesigned to deliver outcomes for the majority,” he observed, noting how political elites operate in insulated bubbles, accessing private healthcare and education while leaving citizens to navigate broken systems.
The veteran executive identified this as more than ethical failure – it represents a structural and imaginative deficit. Decades of neoliberal policies hollowed out state capacity, creating administrations strong enough to extract resources but too weak to deliver services. The result is what Nsarkoh termed “Santa Claus democracy,” where politicians offer election-season handouts rather than systemic solutions.
Yet his message carried hope, not despair. Africa’s path forward, he argued, requires rebuilding intellectual and institutional foundations. “We need an intellectual vanguard – not necessarily academics, but thinkers who apply rigor to real problems,” Nsarkoh stated, emphasizing that no society has achieved prosperity without disciplined long-term planning. He cautioned against imported solutions and leadership cults: “If your solution is finding one brilliant leader, you’ve already failed. You need systems that work when no one is brilliant.”
The conversation highlighted historical awareness as critical to transformation. Nsarkoh invoked Amílcar Cabral’s wisdom about people’s power, stressing that true development emerges when citizens mobilize around shared visions rather than waiting for deliverance. “Civilization isn’t inherited; it’s built,” he remarked, calling for institutions that make dignity possible for all.
This challenge extends beyond governments to business and civil society leaders. Africa’s transformation demands moving from slogans to substance, from celebrating events to engineering systems. As Nsarkoh concluded: “The real work is ours to do – together, structurally, and sustainably.” His vision offers both indictment and roadmap: only by confronting systemic failures can Africa unlock its dormant potential.
