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Tuesday, 15 July 2025

EAST AFRICA POISED TO LEAD AS AFRICA UNLOCKED 2025 CHAMPIONS INCLUSIVE GROWTH

By Our Reporter | Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town played host to Africa Unlocked 2025, a landmark two-day summit that convened some of the continent’s foremost entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to discuss strategies for accelerating inclusive economic growth across Africa.

Organised by Standard Bank Group, the parent company of Stanbic Bank Tanzania, the forum centred on critical enablers of growth — regional trade, infrastructure, energy, and access to capital — with particular emphasis on the unique opportunities emerging across East Africa.


A Shift in Tone: From Constraints to Collaboration

The summit’s conversations touched on familiar regional issues — port congestion, energy access, and trade inefficiencies — but the overarching tone was one of optimism and proactive collaboration. Rather than focusing on what’s missing, Africa Unlocked urged stakeholders to act on what is possible.

The message was clear: Africa’s future lies in leveraging its strengths through coordinated action, innovation, and regional integration.


Trade Integration: Unlocking Borderless Opportunity

Trade featured prominently throughout the discussions. East Africa, through the East African Community (EAC) and its active role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), has made commendable progress. But the region must go further to enhance the smooth flow of goods and services across borders.

Speakers highlighted ongoing investments in trade corridors, modern port systems, and digital customs platforms as game changers for local producers, logistics players, and cross-border entrepreneurs.

A case in point is Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam Port, a vital regional trade hub. Enhancing its capacity and efficiency stands to benefit not only Tanzania but also its land-linked neighbours — Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conversations reinforced the need for infrastructure projects to be regional in scope, aligned with long-term trade goals.


Powering Progress: The East African Energy Advantage

Energy access was another focal point. East Africa is emerging as a leader in renewable and decentralised energy solutions, with countries like Kenya and Tanzania expanding rural electrification through solar and mini-grid projects.

Discussions shifted beyond generation to address distribution and affordability — ensuring that power reaches homes, schools, farms, and industries.

Examples like Ethiopia’s hydropower ambitions, Uganda’s surplus generation capacity, and Kenya’s renewable innovations painted a picture of a region creating context-specific solutions. The takeaway: Africa can power itself, and East Africa is proving that inclusive energy strategies are not just viable — they are already working.


Financing Growth from Within

Access to capital, especially for small and family-owned enterprises, remains a key constraint. These businesses form the backbone of East Africa’s economy — driving agriculture, transport, healthcare, and manufacturing — yet they often struggle to secure the funding they need.

Africa Unlocked challenged this status quo by spotlighting how African capital, including pension funds, local investors, and development finance institutions, can be mobilised to invest more confidently in African businesses.

Speaking at the event, Bill Blackie, Standard Bank’s CEO for Business and Commercial Banking, emphasised the urgency of shifting mindsets:

"Unlocking Africa's potential is not a slogan. It is an action. We must trust and invest in our own entrepreneurs."


East Africa's Moment to Lead

With a young population, a resilient entrepreneurial spirit, and growing infrastructure, East Africa stands well-positioned to lead Africa’s next growth chapter. The region’s potential lies in its ability to:

  • Deepen trade integration
  • Expand energy access
  • Unlock new sources of capital

Africa Unlocked 2025 wasn’t just about identifying challenges — it was a blueprint for coordinated progress. For East Africa, the summit delivered a powerful call: embrace collaboration, trust local capacity, and lead with innovation.


Explore more regional insights, policy analysis, and development trends on our blog. Stay informed, stay inspired.

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