Africa Must Build Resilient Enterprises to Compete Globally, KGL Chairman Alex Dadey Urges
Alex Apau Dadey, Group Executive Chairman of the KGL Group of Companies, has made an impassioned case for a more deliberate continental effort to build resilient African enterprises capable of competing on the global stage while transforming local economies from within.
Speaking at the 10th Ghana CEO Summit 2026 — an event attended by President John Dramani Mahama, senior government officials, chief executives and policymakers — Mr Dadey argued that Africa’s long-recognised potential must now be matched with concrete action on industrial capacity, governance, and institutional strength.
“Potential alone has never transformed any nation,” he told the gathering. “Africa therefore faces a defining choice: either remain a market for the ambitions of others or build enterprises capable of shaping global economic outcomes ourselves.”
Leadership as Africa’s “Missing Infrastructure”
Delivering an address on the theme “Raising African Champions: Leadership, Resilience and Industrial Scale — Lessons from Ghana’s Business Transformation,” Mr Dadey described leadership as Africa’s “missing infrastructure.” He argued that industrialisation would remain elusive without leaders who think beyond election cycles and short-term gains towards long-term national development.
His remarks align closely with the case President Mahama has made in international forums, including his recent assertion that no African nation can thrive in isolation and that deeper continental integration is essential for meaningful progress.
On the question of indigenous businesses, Mr Dadey struck a pragmatic tone. While accountability and regulatory compliance were essential, he said, African enterprises should not be treated with suspicion simply because they grow. “No nation industrialises successfully by weakening its own productive capacity,” he said, posing the question: “If Ghana does not protect and nurture its responsible indigenous enterprises, who will build the continental champions we aspire to?”
Trans-Generational Wealth and Institutional Memory
Mr Dadey also turned his attention to what he called a critical flaw in how African wealth is managed. He noted that much of the continent’s wealth is lost within a single generation because it is consumed rather than institutionalised. He called for stronger governance systems, robust succession planning, and reinvestment strategies that create lasting value across generations.
He commended President Mahama for championing local ownership and indigenous participation in the economy, framing it as essential groundwork for the kind of enterprise-building that Africa needs.
CNBC Africa Partnership Announced
In a notable announcement, Mr Dadey revealed a strategic partnership between KGL Group and CNBC Africa to establish a CNBC Africa country office in Ghana, hosted by KGL. He said the initiative would amplify African business stories, deepen investment conversations, and position Ghana more strongly within the global economic landscape.
The Ghana CEO Summit, now in its tenth year, remains one of the continent’s leading platforms for business dialogue, policy engagement, and thought leadership on Africa’s economic transformation. This year’s edition drew particular attention for its focus on building enterprises that can compete not just regionally, but on the world stage.
Image Source: GHANAIAN TIMES
