Davos 2013: Nigeria urged to let private sector 'fix' its problems

At World Economic Forum, SABMiller chief tells African leaders that more investment would boost growth in the continent

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, left, and South African president Jacob Zuma in Davos. Photograph: Pascal Lauener/Reuters

Graham Mackay, executive chairman of South African brewing giant SABMiller, has urged Africa's leaders to let private-sector businesses "fix" Africa's problems.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, at a session called De-Risking Africa, alongside the Nigerian and South African presidents, Mackay insisted that throwing the continent's markets open to more investment would boost growth.

"Trust in economic growth to solve the problems of the continent," Mackay said. "Economic growth comes from the private sector: business will fix it, if it's allowed to. If you look at some of our operations in more rural parts of Africa, and you see the conditions that have to be endured: these are heroic endeavours in many cases."

SABMiller had a turnover of $31bn (£19.5bn) last year, and operates in 15 African countries.

Mackay's blunt intervention in the debate came as Goodluck Jonathan, of Nigeria, and Jacob Zuma, of South Africa, explained how they are improving infrastructure and building cross-border links to try to boost trade between African countries.

"It's easier to move from African countries to Europe and the rest of the world than to move from one African country to another," said Jonathan. He added that Nigeria hopes to become a major exporter of rice over the next five years, instead of importing the staple food from overseas.

Zuma said Africa's leaders are working together to solve the shortfalls in the country's infrastructure, but they are held back because, in many cases, transport and other links were relics of the colonial era.

"If colonialism left us with no infrastructure, the solution is to grow the economy," he added, stressing that the Organisation for African Unity is working on "very concrete measures" for improving infrastructure.

But Paul Kagame, of Rwanda, stressed that Africans had to trust themselves – not outsiders – to solve their problems. Speaking from the audience, he said: "For me, the major problem I see is that Africa's story is written from somewhere else, and not by Africans themselves."


Heather Stewart in Davos
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