President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has once again urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials, describing the practice as a major contributor to the continent’s persistent poverty.

In a recent post on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Adesina wrote:

“Africa must end the exports of its raw materials. The export of raw materials is the door to poverty. The export of value-added products is the highway to wealth. And Africa is tired of being poor.”

The former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture emphasized that Africa’s long-standing reliance on exporting unprocessed commodities benefits foreign economies at the expense of its own. This model, he said, limits job creation, stifles industrial growth, and deprives African countries of much-needed economic advancement.

“Africa’s current economic model, where we ship out raw materials and import finished goods at higher prices, is unsustainable,” Adesina reiterated. “We must process what we produce and move up the value chain.”

His statement echoes widespread calls across the continent to foster industrialization and expand intra-African trade, especially under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to boost regional economic integration.

A key example often cited is cocoa: while West Africa produces over 70% of the world’s cocoa, most of it is processed into chocolate abroad, depriving the region of billions in added value and potential jobs.

Adesina believes that by embracing value addition and industrial processing, African countries can increase export earnings, empower local industries, and become more economically independent.

“Africa is not poor,” he said in a previous address. “It is rich in resources—but it must also become rich in value.”

His call is seen as both a challenge and a rallying cry for African leaders to rethink trade practices and build economies that serve the continent’s long-term prosperity.