• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
  • E-Book
Home Economy OPINION: How Long Will Africa Hold the Begging Bowl?
  • Economy
  • Features

OPINION: How Long Will Africa Hold the Begging Bowl?

By
Umar Farouk Bala
-
March 13, 2025
Reports claim that the US Government has moved to check dollar stockpile in Africa

OPINION: How Long Will Africa Hold the Begging Bowl?

Africa stands at a crossroads; one path leading to self-sufficiency and prosperity, the other to continued dependence on foreign aid. For decades, the continent has been caught in the cycle of receiving financial assistance from donor nations and international organizations, yet poverty remains entrenched, economies struggle and governance issues persist.

The question is no longer whether Africa should break free from aid dependency, but how long it will continue holding out the begging bowl instead of charting its own course. A recent editorial raised concerns about Africa’s overreliance on aid and the rampant mismanagement of donor funds by a privileged few.

It argued for a complete withdrawal from all foreign aid agreements, pushing instead for self-reliance and accountability. The urgency of this argument cannot be overstated, yet an outright rejection of all aid may be as reckless as blind dependency.

The issue is not merely about stopping aid but about rethinking its role—shifting from reliance to strategic utilization. Africa’s wealth in natural and human resources should, in theory, make foreign aid redundant. Yet, resource abundance does not automatically translate to development.

Without strong institutions, sound policies, and visionary leadership, even the richest nations falter. Foreign aid, when managed with integrity and purpose, can serve as a catalyst rather than a crutch.

Health initiatives that eradicated diseases like polio in Nigeria, educational grants that have bolstered learning, and infrastructural support that has improved lives—all of these are testaments to the potential of aid when used wisely.

Read Also:

  • Empowering Nigerian Youth in Building a Climate-Resilient Future By Mustapha Abdulganiyu
  • Nigeria’s Painful Path from Policy to Prosperity By Shukurat T. Ibrahim
  • Military Repels ISWAP Fighters in Gamboru Ngala

The real challenge lies in accountability and ensuring that aid serves development rather than deepening dependency. Africa must distinguish between different forms of aid. Humanitarian assistance, which responds to crises, differs from development aid, which should ideally be temporary and strategic.

Even more distinct are economic partnerships—trade, foreign direct investment, and industrial collaboration—that foster sustainable growth. If African nations continue to prioritize handouts over industrialization and technology transfer, the continent will remain vulnerable to external dictates.

The goal should be to negotiate from a position of strength, seeking partnerships that build capacity rather than perpetuate subservience. Corruption and mismanagement are the real cancers eating away at Africa’s potential.

It is easy to blame foreign aid for fueling corruption, but the truth is, corruption thrives regardless of aid. Rejecting external assistance without first fixing internal governance structures will only replace one problem with another.

Transparency, accountability, and institutional reforms must take center stage. Aid should be an enabler, not a substitute for competent governance. Breaking free from aid dependency should be a transition, not an abrupt severance. Africa must commit to industrialization, innovation, and economic policies that empower local production and trade.

Rushing into self-reliance without a strategic plan will only exacerbate unemployment and economic instability. The continent needs a phased approach, reducing dependency while simultaneously strengthening internal economic structures.

Africa does not need perpetual charity; it needs dignity, strength, and a vision for the future. The real question is, how long will Africa continue to extend the begging bowl, waiting for others to dictate its fate? The time for decisive action is now—because no nation has ever built true prosperity on handouts.

Umar Farouk Bala is a corps member at PRNigeria Centre, Abuja. He can be reached via: [email protected].

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Africa
  • Foreign aid
  • poverty
Previous articleInvestigative Panel Raises Alarm Over Food Shortages in Nigerian Prisons, Calls for Urgent Reform
Next articleLawlessness of Nigerian Military Personnel Must Stop
Umar Farouk Bala
Umar Farouk Bala

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Nigerian Youths

Empowering Nigerian Youth in Building a Climate-Resilient Future By Mustapha Abdulganiyu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Nigeria’s Painful Path from Policy to Prosperity By Shukurat T. Ibrahim

Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List, a Major Milestone in Economic Reform – Tinubu

A Group of Terrorists/Bandits

The Forgotten Victims: Reclaiming the True Story of Boko Haram’s War on Muslims By Dr. Zanna Hassan

Still on the Misleading Global Story About Nigeria’s Insecurity, By Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi

Critical Appraisal of Mike Arnold’s Findings on Alleged Christian Genocide in Nigeria, By Prof. Adam Abba-Aji

Two Years of Great Leadership at Voice of Nigeria by Banyinorim Agbo

CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

A New Understanding Between Customs and Manufacturers

Kenya

Kenya’s Tourism Revolution: A Blueprint for Africa’s Growth By Veronica Abuede, ANIPR

INEC

When Transparency Becomes Luxury: INEC and ₦1.5B FOI Controversy By Chike Walter Duru

L-R: Partner Seismic Consultant, Dr Olusoji Adeniyi; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Entrepreneurship Development, Chalya Shagaya; Founder of Women Enterprise alliance (WenA), Her Excellency Hajia Aisha Babangida; Head Fiscal and Tax Reforms Implementation FIRS, Olufemi Olarinde; during the 5th WenA Conference in Abuja.

Aisha Babangida Seeks Actionable Gender Reforms, as Women Entrepreneurs Share ₦10m WenA Awards

CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has commended the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association DEPOWA Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Championship in Abuja.

CDS Hails DEPOWA’s Grassroots Sports Drive, Calls It Seedbed for Future Champions

Recent Posts

  • Empowering Nigerian Youth in Building a Climate-Resilient Future By Mustapha Abdulganiyu
  • Nigeria’s Painful Path from Policy to Prosperity By Shukurat T. Ibrahim
  • Military Repels ISWAP Fighters in Gamboru Ngala
  • FCT Police Clamp Down on Criminal Hideouts, Arrest 62 Suspects
  • Kano Police Arrest 2 Suspected Bandits, Move to Resolve Herders-Farmers Clash in Makoda
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Empowering Nigerian Youth in Building a Climate-Resilient Future By Mustapha AbdulganiyuNigeria’s Painful Path from Policy to Prosperity By Shukurat T. IbrahimMilitary Repels ISWAP Fighters in Gamboru NgalaFCT Police Clamp Down on Criminal Hideouts, Arrest 62 SuspectsKano Police Arrest 2 Suspected Bandits, Move to Resolve Herders-Farmers Clash in MakodaCommunication is National Security, Not Just Media Work – NIPR PresidentCustoms Hands Over N562 Million Worth of Seized Drugs to NDLEA, Arrests Suspect in LagosFG Moves to Strengthen Nigeria’s Global Voice, Counter Negative CampaignsAnambra Police Launch Probe into Viral Video of Alleged Cult Initiation Involving MinorTinubu’s Sudden Military Overhaul Rekindles Coup Fears, Public Reactions Flood TwitterAnambra Guber Poll: INEC Deploys AI Virtual Assistant to Train Staff'Tell Nigerians the Truth’: ADC Challenges Tinubu on Military Shake-UpOluyede, Shaibu, Aneke, Abbas: Faces, Records and Mission of Tinubu’s New Service ChiefsCOAS Waidi Shuaibu: Profile of The Battlefield Strategist to  Redefine Nigerian Army LeadershipThings To Know About the New Chief of Naval Staff,  Rear Admiral Idi Abbas
X whatsapp