African leaders call for greater local ownership and economic autonomy

African leaders and business executives are advocating for increased local ownership and economic autonomy to better manage the continent's resources. At the Unstoppable Africa 2026 forum organized by the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) in New York, stakeholders discussed strategies to move beyond discussing Africa's potential toward manifesting actual value through human and mineral resources.

In Ghana, Patrick Appiah Mensah, Managing Director of Heath Goldfields, emphasized the need for economic independence during the 2026 NkrumahFest. He argued that true wealth from Ghana's gold reserves should be measured by the social and economic benefits left 'above the ground,' such as skilled professional development, local business growth, and sustainable communities, rather than just the volume of minerals extracted.