Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has called for a new model of African leadership focused on credible implementation, institutional resilience, and long-term economic transformation.

Delivering the keynote address at the 16th Oxford Africa Conference at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said Africa possesses the talent, resources, and capacity needed to shape its own future despite the many challenges confronting the continent.

The conference, organised by the Oxford Africa Society, was held under the theme, “Anchoring Africa: Grounded Leadership in the Age of Disruption.”

According to the Vice President, leadership in the current global environment must move beyond rhetoric and focus on practical governance that improves the lives of citizens.

“Transformation depends on governance that remains disciplined, ethical, connected to implementation, and grounded in the people it serves,” she stated.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted Ghana’s ongoing economic reforms aimed at stabilising the economy, reducing dependence on raw material exports, and promoting value addition in sectors such as cocoa processing.

She also referenced the government’s proposed 24-Hour Economy policy and the Women’s Development Bank initiative as part of efforts to expand economic participation and support vulnerable groups, particularly women in the informal sector.

“The Women’s Development Bank seeks not only to provide financial support, but also to equip women with the skills and tools necessary to grow sustainably and participate more fully in economic transformation,” she noted.

The Vice President further stressed the need for Africa to position itself strategically in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, energy transition, and data sovereignty.

According to her, the continent must move beyond being merely a consumer of externally developed systems and technologies.

“Africa must develop technologies and solutions rooted in its own realities and priorities,” she said.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also underscored the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a major opportunity for economic integration and growth across the continent.

Drawing from her experience in academia and public service, she urged African leaders to remain connected to communities and responsive to the real needs of citizens.

She concluded that Africa’s future would depend largely on how deliberately and collectively the continent chooses to organise itself to lead in an increasingly disrupted global environment.