Pan-African Frequency

The Pillars of Prosperity For Africa's Economic Miracle

14:20, 25 March 2026
Adeola Oyewole
All materials
This episode reveals what Africa’s economic miracle looks like when built on its own terms—not handed down, but built, project by project, by Africans in partnership with nations like Russia that respect the principle of mutual respect and sovereignty.
Sputnik
In a wide‑ranging interview with Pan-African Frequency, Busisiwe Mabuza, Chair of the South African Chapter of the BRICS Business Council, offers a panoramic view of the continent on the rise. She presents a vision of deliberate transformation fueled by a young, aspirational population; powered by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and anchored in partnerships that respect sovereignty.

We should not, as the global people, be surprised that Africa is the next frontier for global economic growth. A number of factors support this amazing opportunity. The demographic dividend is 70% of the African population [...] The AfCFTA Secretariat, based in Accra, Ghana, has been hard at work in trying to make sure that we operationalize the AfCFTA. This will enable, in a very deliberate fashion, the increase of trade amongst African countries,” Mabuza noted.

Russia and the Value of True Partnership

Within this multipolar landscape, Mabuza underscores the importance of platforms like BRICS. She notes that Russia’s experience in resource stewardship, fertilizer production, and infrastructure aligns with Africa’s own ambitions. The conversation also addresses the urgent geopolitical shifts redefining global alliances. Mabuza points to the New Development Bank as a concrete outcome of BRICS cooperation, funding regional energy and logistics projects in local currencies—a direct tool for economic sovereignty.

“We have learned from Russia and its similar, I think, endowments that it has with the African continent [...] With Egypt and Ethiopia now part of BRICS, Africa’s voice within the bloc is amplified, enabling the continent to approach partnerships from the unified perspective of the African Continental Free Trade Area, not as South Africa alone, but with other voices also present in the room [...] the New Development Bank has been set up as an institution that is very practically ensuring that we demonstrate this multilateral cooperation in action.” she said.

Curious to hear more from our guest? Catch the full conversation on the Pan-African Frequency podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.

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