Not too long ago, futurist James Canton made a bold claim: Africa is the next superpower. In his 2015 book, he argued that after Asia, Africa holds the fastest-growing regional economy.

He pointed to the surge of investments in resources, technology, manufacturing, and communications as signs of a continent on the move. The data seemed clear: Africa’s future looked golden.

The reasons were compelling. Cities were swelling with new energy, a young labor force was expanding faster than anywhere else, and a middle class was quietly but steadily emerging.

In Lagos, you can feel it in the tech hubs springing up in Yaba. In Nairobi, it shows in the fintech revolution, redefining how money moves. Johannesburg tells a similar story in manufacturing and services.

But alongside the optimism runs a sobering caution. Canton himself noted that no amount of investment can outrun bad governance. And that, critics argue, remains Africa’s Achilles’ heel.

Back in 2010, Robert Jackson painted a less rosy picture in his report Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World. He warned that sub-Saharan Africa would continue to be the region most vulnerable to economic shocks, population pressures, political instability, and civil conflict.

His words read almost like a counterbalance to Canton’s optimism; he said, “Despite increased global demand for commodities, local populations are unlikely to see significant economic gain.”

Why? Because the profits too often vanish into private bank accounts of corrupt officials or get swallowed by governments ill-prepared to manage them.

Stories across the continent bear this out – from oil revenues in Nigeria that fuel personal empires rather than public infrastructure, to mining wealth in the Congo that rarely trickles down to communities living beside the pits.

What emerges is a tension: extraordinary potential weighed down by familiar flaws. On one side, there is the possibility of Africa as a genuine global giant.

On the other hand, there is the nagging fear that history will repeat itself, and the riches of the land will never translate into prosperity for its people.

The truth may lie in whether leadership, both political and corporate, can rise to the challenge. For now, Africa’s story is still being written. The world is watching to see if the promise will be fulfilled or squandered.

It’s time for accountable leadership, smarter governance, and homegrown innovation that turns potential into progress.

What steps do you think are most critical for Africa to fully realize its promise?