At the recently held Unstoppable Africa event, Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways Plc, has stressed the urgent need for African nations to unite in order to achieve meaningful economic growth and stronger global influence.
Speaking in a panel discussion, Allan Kilavuka emphasized that Africa’s fragmentation into 54 separate countries continues to limit its ability to negotiate favorable deals on the global stage. He drew comparisons with nations like China and India, whose economic success is largely attributed to their scale and integration.
“Africa has to come together; alone we will not succeed. The reason China and India are succeeding is because they are very integrated. Now if you go 54, it doesn’t matter even if you are in subregions, you will never be able to properly negotiate a good deal. So private sector and public sector alike, Africa has to by necessity come together so that we can scale,” Kilavuka told the audience.
His remarks reinforced the event’s theme of building unstoppable momentum for Africa by unlocking collective potential. Allan Kilavuka noted that for Africa to truly compete in the global economy, governments and the private sector must break down barriers and deepen collaboration.
The Unstoppable Africa platform brought together influential leaders from across business, government, and civil society to chart pathways for sustainable growth on the continent. Allan Kilavuka’s call to action highlighted the urgency of African integration, not only as a political goal but as an economic necessity.
By working together, African nations can expand markets, drive industrialization, and amplify their bargaining power in global negotiations, ultimately securing a stronger future for the continent.
