The Rift Summary

"Is Africa the problem, or is it actually the solution?" Alex Perry challenges the conventional Western view of Africa with a thought-provoking exploration of the continent's rising potential.

1. Western Politics Often Hinders African Aid

While the world may sympathize with Africa's challenges, political agendas from wealthier nations can block effective aid. For example, during Somalia’s devastating famine in 2011, millions of refugees faced starvation. Though humanitarian aid could have saved thousands, the United States withheld aid from southern Somalia because of fears the extremist group Al-Shabab would intercept it.

This action underscores how Africa's needs are often deprioritized in favor of external political goals. Policies shaped by the war on terror resulted in countless preventable deaths—half of them children. Tony Burns, an Australian aid worker, described how this prioritization effectively shut off lifelines to people in desperate conditions.

Africans like Khalima Adan, who tragically lost three children on her journey to seek aid, are direct victims of these international policies. Their struggle is a grim illustration of how political strategy can detract from humanitarian responsibility.

Examples

• U.S. blocked aid to southern Somalia during the 2011 famine.
• Al-Shabab was perceived as the wrong beneficiary of potential humanitarian efforts.
• Khalima Adan’s personal tragedy reflected the famine’s human toll.

2. Western Celebrities Are Not Always the Answer

Famous individuals, while well-meaning, often fall short of creating lasting change in African nations. George Clooney, for instance, threw his influential weight behind Sudan’s independence movement, funding satellites to track government troop activity and appearing on global media to speak out. When South Sudan gained independence, Clooney was there to celebrate.

But despite these efforts, the new South Sudan soon plunged into violence as ethnic tensions erupted. The Dinka and Nuer groups clashed, escalating into mass killings. External interventions, however noble, lack the cultural depth to resolve these divisions.

Ultimately, true peace in South Sudan arrived only through internal negotiations, proving that global star power and Western involvement rarely address the deeper issues of leadership and unity required within African nations.

Examples

• George Clooney’s high-profile campaigns included direct dialogue with President Obama.
• Funds for satellite surveillance aimed to prevent denial of war crimes.
• Ethnic clashes between Dinka and Nuer demonstrated unresolved local tensions.

3. Africa’s Fertile Land Could Feed the Globe

Africa is home to more arable land than any other region, making it a potential agricultural powerhouse. With 1.46 billion acres of farmable land, mobilizing its vast resources could not only combat poverty but also solve global food security.

Countries like Ethiopia provide blueprints for progress. The Ethiopian Commodities Exchange revolutionized farming by setting fair crop prices and improving access to loans. Farmers began producing surplus crops, boosting agricultural growth by nearly 8% between 2006 and 2013.

Focusing on expanding farming infrastructure, Africa could reduce its own poverty while addressing hunger in other parts of the world. Leveraging both traditional fields and modernized agricultural practices places the continent on a transformative path.

Examples

• Ethiopia’s shift from subsistence farming to market-oriented agriculture.
• Creation of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange for stabilized pricing.
• Chinese farming reforms resulting in rapid poverty reduction highlight agriculture’s role in wealth creation.

4. Transforming Slums into Thriving Communities

Urban areas in Africa have long been plagued by poverty and neglect, but cities like Lagos, Nigeria, demonstrate the possibility of revitalization. Under Governor Babatunde Fashola, Lagos witnessed improvements in infrastructure that turned slums into functional urban districts.

Fashola’s policies allowed two-thirds of Lagos residents to access clean water, and slum areas gained property rights, reducing chaos and crime. Satellite-inspired solutions like planned urban zoning further empowered residents to contribute to the city’s economy as taxpayers.

Lagos represents a broader African story: an urban population willing to adapt and collaborate to transform desperate conditions into opportunities for economic and social growth.

Examples

• Lagos improved water and lighting access for millions.
• Property rights reduced crime in urban slums.
• More than 42,000 jobs were created during the urban remodeling projects.

5. Visionary African Leaders Drive Local Change

Contrary to stereotypes, African leadership is far from a uniform narrative of corruption. Leaders like Lamido Sanusi of Nigeria spearhead proactive efforts against fraud and inefficiency. As a former central banker, Sanusi promoted biometric systems for secure and traceable transactions to curb corruption.

Despite losing his banking role due to his anti-corruption stance, Sanusi continued to champion financial accountability as Emir of Kano. By integrating technology with policy reforms, he demonstrated how visionary leadership could steer Nigeria toward financial transparency.

His work challenges prevailing Western notions of African governance, underlining instead a growing cadre of educated leaders spearheading transformation.

Examples

• Sanusi’s fight against fraudulent practices within Nigeria’s petroleum ministry.
• Introduction of fingerprint-based banking to eliminate forgeries and theft.
• Use of Kano’s emirate to continue broader reforms after leaving public banking.

6. Mobile Phones Create Tech Revolutions

With one billion cell phones operating by 2015, Africa's digital boom has uniquely bridged rural isolation to global networks. This connectivity doesn’t just link people socially but also creates new platforms for commerce and learning.

Kenya’s Safaricom pioneered M-Pesa, a mobile money service allowing users to transfer and save money through basic texting. This innovation gave financial freedom to people without access to traditional banking, particularly in rural areas. Poor communities could finally tap into savings and make investments.

Africa’s leadership in mobile banking even inspired Western economies to study digital payment systems tailored for underserved populations.

Examples

• M-Pesa helped Kenyans transfer money via text messages.
• Studies show mobile proliferation raised African national incomes.
• Non-bank account holders across Africa gained access to financial services.

7. Renewable Energy Is Lighting Up Rural Africa

Electricity scarcity limits education and economic prospects in many African villages. For residents like Gladys Nange in Kokete, Kenya, basic daily tasks such as charging cell phones or doing homework become overwhelming logistical challenges.

But solar-powered solutions are steadily changing this scenario. Projects like Cambridge University’s affordable solar kits have provided rural Africans with renewable electricity. These small systems allow families to light homes and charge devices, dramatically improving living standards.

Solar energy addresses both Africa’s energy and climate needs, offering a sustainable path out of poverty for millions.

Examples

• Remote Kenyan villages like Kokete gained solar-powered lights.
• Solar kits proved affordable, with easy payment plans spread over months.
• Families experienced enhanced educational opportunities due to night-time lighting.

8. Political Bias Distorts the West’s Image of Africa

The West often portrays Africa through selective filters of war, famine, and failure. These stereotypes obscure the continent’s emerging successes in agriculture, technology, and urban planning. Viewing Africa as a homogeneous “problem” lacks nuance.

This perception is partly shaped by biased media. Positive stories like Lagos’s urban renewal or Ethiopia’s farming revolution rarely feature as prominently as disaster coverage. Western interventions, while well-meaning, consistently echo a “savior” complex that misrepresents Africa’s agency to resolve its own challenges.

Acknowledging Africa’s complexity means discarding reductive narratives that focus exclusively on its hardships.

Examples

• African initiatives in solar energy gain global attention just slowly.
• Stories of successful governance efforts like Sanusi’s rarely headline news.
• Western aid often imposes frameworks, undervaluing Africa’s independence.

9. Africa Inspires Hope and Innovation

Rather than being defined by its issues, Africa exemplifies resilience and creativity. From advanced mobile banking systems to adopting clean energy, the continent is showing the possibility for revolutionary change.

Communities once written off for their poverty—whether urban slums or remote villages—are carving out new futures with grassroots initiatives. African leaders and citizens are embracing innovation that doesn’t imitate but rather sets trends the world can follow.

Their success stories remind us that Africa’s future is driven by empowerment from within, not humanitarian charity from abroad.

Examples

• Kenya’s M-Pesa banking system set a precedent for financial tech globally.
• Solar-powered schools provide models for scalable renewable energy infrastructure.
• Ethiopia’s modern agriculture showed farming can alleviate global hunger.

Takeaways

1. Support local and sustainable development initiatives in Africa that prioritize independence, such as renewable energy or agricultural innovations.
2. Seek to learn and promote positive narratives about Africa’s self-driven solutions instead of focusing solely on charity or its problems.
3. Encourage investment in Africa’s mobile and fintech revolutions to bridge global economic gaps and foster growth.