African industrialists, financiers and political leaders have called for a stronger shift towards domestic processing and regional industrialisation, warning that fragmented regulations and continued exports of raw materials are limiting the continent’s economic potential.
The call was made at the Alamein Africa Forum, which brought together more than 1,500 business delegates to discuss investment, trade and industrial development across the continent.
Dangote Group President and Chief Executive Aliko Dangote said African economies need to look beyond headline GDP growth and focus on increasing manufacturing capacity and developing industries capable of competing in global markets.
He identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an important platform for creating the scale required to support major industrial investments across national borders.
According to Dangote, fragmented regulations, inconsistent standards and inefficient border procedures create what he described as an “African scale penalty”, increasing the cost of producing and moving goods across the continent.
He called on governments to harmonise border procedures, improve the movement of goods, services and capital, and treat reliable energy supply as essential industrial infrastructure.
The push for greater African economic capacity was also highlighted by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) President George Elombi, who stressed the importance of African-owned financial institutions in supporting trade and industrial development.
Elombi pointed to Afreximbank’s role in providing liquidity during major external shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine crisis and the 2026 Gulf crisis. He also called on African governments to protect the bank’s treaty-backed creditor status.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi said the private sector has a central role to play in generating economic growth and employment. He described the forum as a platform for connecting investors with capital, closing information gaps and developing cross-border supply chains.
AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Officer Nardos Bekele-Thomas also called for greater focus on turning regional infrastructure proposals into bankable projects.
She urged development finance institutions and private investors to strengthen project preparation and financial structuring so that commercially viable infrastructure projects can reach financial close.
The discussions reflect a broader push to increase value addition within Africa rather than relying heavily on exports of unprocessed commodities. Developing regional manufacturing and processing networks could allow African producers to capture more value while creating jobs and strengthening intra-African trade.
For businesses to achieve this at scale, however, improvements in energy, logistics, financing, regulatory coordination and market access will be essential. The AfCFTA provides a framework for expanding the market, but the forum highlighted the need for practical reforms that allow companies to operate competitively across African borders.