When 2,000 CEOs, investors, heads of state, and ministers gathered at the 2025 Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, a single call to action resonated loudly: a new deal is needed between the state and the private sector to give the continent a winning hand.

This comes as Africa looks to gain ground in an increasingly complex and competitive transactional world. A world where global trade wars are intensifying, capital flows are narrowing, and every country is being forced to redefine its path to sovereignty, resilience, and prosperity.

The conversations in Abidjan were not mere academic debates and blue sky contemplations. They were urgent and real at this quarter century, where strategy sessions for Africa must be grounded in terms that are sustainable, relevant and impactful. The stakes have never been higher, but neither have the opportunities. The continent stands at a rare inflexion point, where decisions made in the next decade will determine whether we remain...