How to Build the Future—Africa edition

I've spent countless hours thinking about how to unlock Africa's immense potential. Here's how I think we get there:

1. Bet on Entrepreneurs

Every economic miracle in history has been driven by entrepreneurs who reshaped industries—Vanderbilt with railways, Carnegie with steel, Rockefeller with oil. Africa's future depends on finding, supporting, and empowering its own visionary entrepreneurs.

We don't just need more businesses; we need entrepreneurs willing to approach problems from first principles—unafraid of starting small but committed to scaling big.

2. Leverage the Diaspora

Thousands of brilliant Africans work at Netflix, Google, Microsoft—I've met them firsthand. Their global experience, networks, and credibility position them uniquely to attract capital and build transformative businesses back home.

Companies like Paga and Chipper Cash—founded by diaspora talent—have already proven what's possible. Imagine if more African tech professionals committed themselves to solving the continent's toughest challenges. The diaspora isn't just talented—it's Africa's best-kept secret for growth.

The African diaspora brings global expertise back to the continent

3. Education—but Different

Education is essential, but not as we've traditionally known it. The Douglass Leadership Academy (DLA) represents my attempt at reimagining education by integrating entrepreneurial thinking into a mastery-based, globally relevant curriculum.

DLA connects low-income American students, funded by U.S. school vouchers (~$8–$10K per student), with prestigious century-old African boarding schools. This model does three things at once:

• Provides underserved American students a transformative global experience.
• Injects critical resources into African schools, enabling facility upgrades and technology adoption.
• Fosters cross-cultural leadership, innovation, and ambition.

4. Build Charter Cities

Economist Paul Romer champions charter cities—autonomous zones with clear legal frameworks that attract investment and innovation. Africa should experiment boldly with these special economic zones to attract global companies, capital, and talent.

Imagine a city on the Tanzanian coast operating under Canadian-style governance, becoming a magnet for ambitious Africans eager to innovate without bureaucracy. Charter cities aren't just theoretical—they could catalyze real change by demonstrating what's possible.

"Charter cities could catalyze real change by demonstrating what's possible when we reimagine governance and infrastructure."

5. Digitize and Democratize Infrastructure

Infrastructure investments matter—but we need to rethink how they're implemented. Innovations like fractional computer-sharing (basically, an internet cafe) can immediately address educational gaps in remote villages. Combine this with digital financial solutions (like mobile money), and you enable millions to access education and financial services simultaneously.

These small, strategic bets on digital infrastructure can leapfrog traditional solutions, providing massive returns in economic growth and human capital.

6. East African Integration as a Blueprint

Individual African countries often lack scale. But the East African Federation offers a combined market of over 350 million people. Deeper economic integration means larger markets, increased competitiveness, and dramatically greater foreign direct investment.

Entrepreneurs from the diaspora can play a crucial role here, using their international credibility and influence to push regional governments toward faster, deeper cooperation. East Africa could become a powerful example of what's achievable across the continent.

The East African Community represents a powerful model for regional integration

7. Focus on Private Sector-Led Growth

Ultimately, sustainable growth doesn't come from aid or external intervention—it comes from creating things people need and want. Private sector-led growth, driven by entrepreneurship, global capital, and innovative governance, is the only path forward.

We don't just need businesses; we need businesses that systematically solve Africa's most urgent problems—healthcare, education, infrastructure, manufacturing. We need entrepreneurs who think boldly, invest deeply, and relentlessly pursue long-term impact.

8. Act Now, Think Long-Term

The greatest competitive advantage in business, whether for a company or a continent, is long-term thinking. Africa's opportunities are enormous, but the real payoff comes from acting boldly now and staying committed for decades.

If we do this right, Africa won't just catch up—it will lead.

The future of Africa awaits not discovery, but creation. Let's start building it.