Tanzania Vice President Mpango urges Africa to tackle food, energy inflation, empower youth
Tanzania’s Vice President Philip Mpango
Abuja. Tanzania’s Vice President Philip Mpango has called on African countries to prioritise building economic resilience by addressing food and energy inflation, improving regional connectivity, and investing in the continent’s youth.
Speaking during a panel session at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings on Friday, Dr Mpango stressed the importance of consolidating macroeconomic stability to safeguard Africa’s development ambitions.
“It is pointless to move forward without first consolidating the resilience of our economies,” he said.
"We must ensure our macroeconomic fundamentals are strong and sustainable," he said.
Dr Mpango questioned Africa’s continued reliance on food imports, saying the continent must act decisively to tame food inflation.
"There is no reason why Africa should continue importing food from outside. We must produce and feed ourselves,” he asserted.
Turning to energy, he called for deeper collaboration among African nations to mitigate energy price volatility.
“We can work together to contain energy inflation. These two—food and energy—are major sources of economic instability on the continent,” he noted.
Dr Mpango also emphasised the need for joint infrastructure projects to improve regional integration.
He said Africa remains disconnected, calling for leaders to prioritise regional transportation corridors and power interconnectors.
"This will allow us to pool our resources more effectively, with support from institutions like Afreximbank,” he said.
He added that ecological challenges such as climate change should serve as a wake-up call for African countries to cooperate more closely on shared development goals.
Dr Mpango also urged African leaders to nurture young talent and place youth at the centre of the continent’s transformation agenda.
“It is crucial that we groom our young people and give them leadership roles. We must harness their ingenuity if we are to secure Africa’s future,” he said.
