
By Bright Philip Donkor
Mr. Hicham El Achgar, General Manager of IT6 Group, has shared his perspective on Africa’s potential, urging a shift in the way the continent views its development.
Speaking as a panelist on the topic ‘Leveraging Digital Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology to Connect Africa’ on Day Two of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2025, held at the Accra International Conference on Friday, January 31, he said Africa’s challenges were not due to a lack of resources or intelligence, but rather due to inefficient systems that often hold back the continent’s growth.
El Achgar emphasized that while Africa may be perceived as “poor” or “not smart,” the reality is quite the opposite. “Africa is not poor; it is the systems that are limiting its potential,” he said. He pointed out that Africans are thriving when they move to developed nations, showing that the talent and resources are there. “When Africans move to countries like the United States, France, or other European nations, they often succeed. This proves that the talent is within Africa; it’s about how we harness that talent effectively,” he added.
El Achgar believes that for Africa to progress, the continent must think big and act strategically. He stressed that simply dreaming of success was not enough; the continent must take smart, focused action.
He noted that encouraging signs of progress were already visible in regional collaborations, such as the growing partnership between Nigeria and Ghana. He urged that Africa does not need to wait for perfect regulations or systems to begin working. “We can take initiatives, start with smaller, localized projects, and then scale them. This is how we can begin to make meaningful progress