President Bola Tinubu has called on African leaders to adopt more strategic and deliberate measures to address the persistent exodus of skilled professionals from the continent. Speaking during a dinner held in his honour at the People’s Palace in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday night, Tinubu emphasized the urgent need for reforms to stem tribalism, reward performance, and modernize outdated judicial systems.
The Nigerian President, who is on a three-day official visit to Equatorial Guinea, urged African nations to prioritize research and development, offering appropriate rewards to foster innovation and growth. His remarks were disclosed in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu: We can stop skill exodus by enhancing performance incentivisation in Africa.’
“Why are we complaining about healthcare problems if our doctors cannot have a home on our continent? If our nurses are faced with destitution, and if our judicial system is archaic?” Tinubu questioned, highlighting the irony of losing skilled professionals while grappling with systemic failures.
Tinubu argued that Africa’s development must begin with a shift in focus toward internal solutions. “Tribalism has no place in our nation or region,” he declared. “We have to strengthen the continent, cultivate and maintain peace together, and help one another. We must develop our resources for our progress, focus incisively on research and development, and reward those programmes ourselves. We must not outsource or sell out our solutions.”
The Nigerian leader expressed gratitude to his host, President Teodoro Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, for the invitation, describing his visit to Malabo as a “homecoming.” Tinubu underscored the historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, likening the two nations to “twins held together at the hips.”
Tinubu further advocated for a mindset shift in Africa’s self-perception, countering the global narrative of the continent as “wretched and ragged, full of conflicts.” Instead, he championed peace, stability, and democracy as the essential pillars for Africa’s collective and progressive development. He also called for urgent collective action to resolve long-standing conflicts in the Congo and the Sahel, warning that without peace, development would remain elusive.
“The time is now,” Tinubu urged, calling on African leaders to “roll up our sleeves, put on our knickers, and move strongly for the peace and stability of our continent.”
In his earlier remarks, President Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea expressed deep affection and respect for President Tinubu, welcoming him and his delegation to Malabo with open arms. Mbasogo highlighted the strong historical ties between the two nations and called for greater collaboration, particularly in the areas of education, mining, defence, security, and agriculture.
The Equatorial Guinean leader also stressed the need for a deeper partnership to combat piracy and insecurity, while working with other African Union countries and the United Nations to address climate change, food shortages, and terrorism.
Before the dinner, the two presidents signed an agreement on the Gulf of Guinea gas pipeline project, marking a significant step towards closer bilateral cooperation.
