Lagos: The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has called on African governments to establish comprehensive database systems to enhance governance and accelerate economic development across the continent. Speaking at the 2026 Pan-African Leadership Series held at the Lagos Business School, AFC President Mr. Samaila Zubairu emphasized the importance of data-driven governance in transforming public administration.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Zubairu highlighted the transformative impact of integrated digital identity and data systems in countries like India and the United Arab Emirates. He underscored that Africa’s ability to leverage emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and digital finance heavily relies on the quality and availability of data. He urged governments, regulators, and industries to invest in developing robust databases to improve governance and public service delivery.
Zubairu stressed that a stronger data infrastructure would enhance decision-making, expand financial inclusion, and create business opportunities across Africa. He stated, “Data is really the most prized possession going forward. The opportunities in AI, blockchain, crypto, and tokenization are all built around data.”
Moreover, Zubairu emphasized the need for Africa to focus on deliberate execution of development priorities. He advocated for sustained investments in infrastructure, industrialization, and digital ecosystems to unlock the continent’s economic potential and ensure prosperity through intentional actions. He also encouraged African countries to accelerate industrialization by processing natural resources locally rather than exporting raw materials.
Zubairu pointed to infrastructure projects like the Lobito Corridor, linking Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia, as examples of initiatives designed to diversify supply chains and stimulate industrial development across Africa. He remarked, “It is the Africa we build, not the Africa we hope for, that our children will inherit.”
Additionally, Prof. Olayinka David-West, Dean of Lagos Business School, noted that the leadership series aims to inspire African executives to think beyond national markets and build businesses with a continental impact. She revealed that the institution had expanded its mission beyond Nigeria a decade ago to cultivate an African mindset among business leaders.
Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan, a director at LBS and Academic Director of the Global CEO Programme, emphasized the importance of leadership in transforming business ambitions into successful continental expansion. He stated that the programme was already yielding results, citing two Nigerian companies from the previous cohort that established subsidiaries in Kenya within a year.
AFC, established in 2007 by sovereign African states, is a Pan-African multilateral development financial institution dedicated to providing pragmatic solutions to Africa’s infrastructure deficit and challenging operating environment.