Prof. Opoku-Agyemang calls for accountable governance at Oxford Africa Conference

Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has emphasised that Africa’s future development will depend largely on strong leadership and credible institutions, urging the continent to move beyond external narratives of “deferred potential” and focus on building systems that can drive sustainable transformation.

Delivering the keynote address at the Oxford Africa Conference 2026 at the University of Oxford, she said Africa’s progress should not be defined by external perceptions but by its ability to organise itself effectively to compete, innovate, integrate, and strengthen institutional capacity.

“Africa has often been described in terms of deferred potential, as a frontier, as rising, mostly by observers looking in,” Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said.
“What matters now is not so much how Africa is described, but how the continent organizes herself to compete, integrate, innovate, and build at scale.”

Speaking under the theme “Anchoring Africa: Grounded Leadership in the Age of Disruption,” the Vice President noted that while data and projections highlight Africa’s vast opportunities, long-term progress will depend on the quality of leadership and the strength of institutions.

“Data may illustrate the breadth of the opportunity and project the possibilities ahead,” she noted. “But our future will ultimately be shaped by leadership, by institutions that are capable of functioning credibly and consistently, and by systems capable of recognizing the full productive potential of her people.”

She further called for deliberate efforts by African countries to strengthen governance systems that promote accountability, continuity, innovation, and inclusion, especially in the face of global uncertainty and rapid technological change.

According to her, building resilient institutions is essential to ensuring that development is sustained and that economic progress benefits all citizens rather than a few.

The Vice President’s remarks formed part of wider discussions at the conference, which focused on governance, economic transformation, leadership, and Africa’s evolving role in global affairs.

The Oxford Africa Conference, organised by the Oxford University Africa Society, brings together policymakers, academics, business leaders, innovators, and students from across Africa and the diaspora to examine key issues shaping the continent’s future.