Politics
Trumping China in Africa?
Olusegun Obasanjo and Greg Mills
The Trump Administration recently announced a long-awaited new strategy towards Africa.
It’s designed to be tougher in its selection of partners and to counter what is described as the “predatory” practices of China and Russia, which it says are “deliberately and aggressively targeting their investments in the region to gain a competitive advantage”.
National security adviser John Bolton outlined the new strategy in remarks at the Heritage Foundation. Russia, he alleged, is “seeking to increase its influence in the region through corrupt economic dealings.” Russia and China’s efforts across the continent, he said, “stunt” Africa’s economic growth.
There is some to admire in the new strategy. It positions the US to “support open markets for American businesses, grow Africa’s middle class, promote youth employment opportunities, and improve the business climate.”
Nothing wrong with any of this, in principle.
The strategy calls for an end to the dissipation of aid across a multitude of projects and in the name of many causes. The US is the largest provider of development assistance world-wide and to Africa, spending $8.7 billion on the continent alone in 2017. USAID maintains more than two dozen regional and bilateral African missions.
Nothing much amiss with this idea either. As Ambassador Bolton correctly noted, one of the comparative strengths of the Marshall Plan was in its targeting of key economic sectors.
Yet problems in the operational ineffectiveness of aid is not only confined to Africa. It is also at least as much a donor problem as one of the recipients. The high transaction costs of aid reflect the multiple domestic constituencies in the donor countries that need to be assuaged, highlighting institutional priorities and politics that are seldom African in origin.
The strategy also says that the US will reassess its support for certain UN operations. There are longstanding concerns about ill-prepared UN peacekeepers intent on picking up the per diem rather than carrying out their military tasks.
The strategy also highlights the folly of giving aid to countries whose governance is troublesome, singling out the “morally bankrupt” leadership of South Sudan where Washington has expended nearly $4 billion in the last four years.
Again, whereas such a bold change might spur an improvement in the delivery of commitments, this is a problem less to do with Africa than among the donors and contributing nations.
But there is cause for concern over some elements of the new Africa strategy.
Bolton said of China’s dealings with the continent that it “uses bribes, opaque agreements, and the strategic use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijing’s wishes and demands.” Citing well-founded fears about rising debt in Zambia (which has ballooned nearly four-fold to over 70% of GDP in just ten years) and Djibouti (which has seen the strategically-vital Horn of African country effectively mortgage its container port to Beijing), he claims that China’s “investment ventures are riddled with corruption, and do not meet the same environmental or ethical standards as US developmental programmes.”
Still China’s relationship with the continent is not all bad. Far from it. Nor can we say that the US’ relationship with the continent is universally beneficial to all recipients.
China’s second coming in Africa – the first being a short-lived intervention during the wars of liberation in the 1960s and 1970s – has transformed the image of the continent from largely one of a problem to be solved to a commercial prospect. As a result, China’s trade relationship with Africa has grown this century from just $10 billion to nearly $200 billion, and its continental investment stake is now greater than that of the United States at $35 billion by 2017, with over $140 billion in Chinese loans committed to date.
While there is nothing wrong with greater competition over ideas, Africa is likely to resist making a choice between China and the United States. The US is asking African countries to choose sides at a time when many don’t have this luxury.
It would be more interesting to find the means whereby the two superpowers work together, though the strategy makes little mention of global interdependence as an operating principle.
This is worrying, since the history of superpower rivalry in Africa is messy, destructive and occasionally bloody. The continent should do everything to avoid this happening again.
There is another concern. The document stresses the need to combat terrorism, and to use foreign aid to open up US markets to African partners, with little recognition of the different levels of development, sophistication and threat across the continent’s 55 states.
Some fear that US relations with Saudi Arabia point to how Washington will approach African countries – you can do what you want (and get a lot from us) as long as you act as a partner.
If so, this approach would dramatically undersell the US’ greatest African asset and its key distinguishing feature from China and Russia; not technology or access to the American market, but the values Washington represents.
Two-thirds of African polled routinely prefer democracy to any other form of government. Ethiopia’s recent turn from an authoritarian to a more democratic system makes lie of the notion that Africans prefer economic growth to human rights.
The United States is unlikely to beat China at its African game of delivering low-cost infrastructure in exchange for resources and contracts. Not only is the weight of population numbers on China’s side, but aid conditionality is likely to drive a race to the governance bottom, not the top.
Also, not too many Americans have the appetite for working in remote African environments for the same rewards as their Chinese counterparts. As a beacon of constitutionalism, instead the US should be focusing on how better to support democracy across Africa, fighting the battle for influence with tools few others possess.
The strategy does say that “Foreign assistance from the United States will concentrate on states that promote democratic ideals, support fiscal transparency, and undertake economic reforms.” While it points to the need for “prioritisation” and not tolerating “ineffective governance” and subsidising “corrupt leaders and violators of human rights”, the question is exactly ‘how’?
Washington can play a critical role in improving governance oversight and checks and balances on executive power by increasing support for parliamentary capacity, supporting greater transparency and vigilance over elections not least in having the means to identify tampering and guts to call them out as fraudulent, and a surge in funding African scholarships for the next generation.
The latter would probably, if it was to do nothing else, be the area where the US could achieve the greatest bang for its buck, both by Africa and in increasing its scale, power and placement of its own network. Putting just 20% of its African aid budget to scholarships, would enable 40,000 fresh students to attend US graduate courses.
That would really be generational and transformative, putting soft power to work, outsmarting China in Africa.
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President Obasanjo and Dr Mills are co-authors of the just-released ‘Democracy Works: Rewiring Politics for Africa’s Advantage’.
Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Gratuity Payment
The Zamfara State Government, under the visionary leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal, has approved the release of funds for the payment of Gratuity Batch 3 for the 2024/25 period. This decisive action underscores the administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of retired civil servants who dedicated years of service to the state’s development.
The Accountant General of the State is already working diligently to ensure that all eligible retirees receive their payments promptly and efficiently, reflecting the government’s resolve to uphold transparency and accountability in the disbursement process.
This timely gratuity payment is a testament to Governor Dauda Lawal’s people-centered leadership, which recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of retirees to the progress and stability of Zamfara State. It also reaffirms the government’s pledge to honor its financial obligations without unnecessary delays.
The Zamfara State Government calls on all retirees in the affected batch to exercise patience as the necessary administrative and financial processes are finalized. Every effort is being made to ensure smooth and uninterrupted payments.
This initiative is part of Governor Dauda Lawal’s broader vision to empower citizens and retirees, strengthen confidence in public service, and sustain the morale of those who have committed their lives to the growth of Zamfara State.
Politics
APC Group Endorses Fubara for 2027, Calls on Tinubu and APC to Prioritise Performance Over Politics in Backing Governor’s Second Term Ambition
*APC Group Endorses Fubara for 2027, Calls on Tinubu and APC to Prioritise Performance Over Politics in Backing Governor’s Second Term Ambition*
The APC National Vanguard has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to support a second term in office for Siminalayi Fubara, citing what it described as “impressive and verifiable developmental strides” across Rivers State.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National President, Dr Gbenga Salam (JP), the group said its position followed an extensive assessment tour of key infrastructure and public service projects executed under the Fubara administration.
The APC National Vanguard said the appeal was based strictly on performance, arguing that governance outcomes should outweigh partisan considerations, particularly in a state as economically significant as Rivers.
“We respectfully urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to support the continuity of Governor Siminalayi Fubara beyond his current tenure, in recognition of his commitment to development, prudent resource management, and people-focused governance,” the statement read.
According to the group, its delegation visited multiple project sites across the state, observing ongoing and completed works spanning road construction, urban renewal, and public infrastructure upgrades.
It noted that the scale and distribution of these projects reflect a deliberate effort by the state government to extend development beyond traditional urban centres and into underserved communities.
“Our findings from the tour reveal a government that is not only active but intentional in its development agenda. The execution of capital projects across various parts of Rivers State demonstrates a clear understanding of the needs of the people and a commitment to addressing them,” Dr Salam said.
The group particularly commended what it described as prudent financial management by the administration, noting that the projects reviewed showed evidence of careful planning and efficient allocation of resources.
“At a time when economic pressures are evident across the country, it is commendable that the Rivers State government has managed its resources in a way that delivers visible and impactful development without signs of fiscal recklessness,” the statement added.
The APC National Vanguard further observed that despite political tensions in the state, the Fubara administration has maintained focus on governance, ensuring continuity in project execution and service delivery.
The group argued that such stability is critical for sustained development and should be encouraged rather than disrupted.
“Leadership must ultimately be judged by results. In Rivers State, there is clear evidence of progress—projects that are not only announced but executed, and policies that translate into real benefits for citizens,” Dr Salam noted.
The group warned that discontinuity in leadership could stall ongoing projects and reverse gains already recorded, stressing the importance of allowing a performing administration to consolidate its achievements.
“Rivers State is at a pivotal stage where continuity will allow for the completion of ongoing initiatives and the deepening of development gains. Supporting Governor Fubara for a second term is, therefore, a decision in the best interest of the people,” the statement said.
In addition to its call on the APC leadership, the group reaffirmed its support for President Tinubu, expressing confidence in his administration’s broader economic and governance reforms.
The APC group urged Nigerians to remain supportive of efforts aimed at stabilising the economy and strengthening public institutions.
“We reiterate our endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office, in recognition of his leadership and commitment to national development. With sustained support, the administration can consolidate its reform agenda for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Dr Salam added.
The APC National Vanguard concluded by calling on political actors to prioritise development and public interest over partisan divides, insisting that governance should always be guided by performance and accountability.
“Where leadership demonstrates prudence, delivers development, and remains focused on the welfare of the people, it deserves continuity. This is the position we have reached after a careful and independent assessment of Rivers State,” the statement added.
*Renewed Hope Ambassadors Step Into the Next Phase
Fresh from the successful APC 2026 National Convention, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors National, Zonal, and State leadership gathered in Abuja over the weekend, for its fourth strategic meeting, setting the tone for nationwide grassroots activation ahead of 2027.
Chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State) the Director General and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, alongside Deputy Director-General, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as Secretary, the session reinforced one clear direction: One Party. One Message. One Mobilization whilst also laying out a strategic roadmap for the activation of the network across all communities in Nigeria.
Backed by the strength of 31 APC-led states, the Renewed Hope Agenda is taking Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of progress and reform to every corner of Nigeria.
From bold economic restructuring to initiatives like NELFUND, the increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and strategic investments in critical sectors, including PNiCGI, the mission remains clear: helping Nigerians understand both the purpose and the progress of the Renewed Hope vision.
This is coordination at scale. This is grassroots engagement with purpose. This is the next phase of Renewed Hope with One Party, One Message, and One Mobilisation framework
#RenewedHopeAmbassadors #APC #WeAreAPC
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