The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged governments, development partners and the media to change the dominant global narrative about Africa, insisting that the continent must no longer be portrayed solely through the lens of poverty and suffering.
The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja by the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms Elsie Attafuah, at a women leaders’ networking reception jointly organised by UNDP in partnership with the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs and Foreign Affairs.
The event, reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was held in honour of the outgoing UNDP Assistant Secretary-General/Regional Director for Africa, Ms Ahunna Eziakonwa, who has now been appointed Special Adviser on Africa by the UN Secretary-General.
Attafuah said Africa must be repositioned in global discourse as a continent defined by opportunity, innovation, investment and transformation, driven by African leadership and homegrown solutions.
“Africa should be recognised as a continent of opportunities, innovation, investment and transformation, driven by African leadership, homegrown ideas and practical solutions that promoted inclusive growth and sustainable development.”
She stressed the need to move away from deficit-based storytelling to narratives that highlight resilience, entrepreneurship, creativity and Africa’s growing global contributions.
“Africa is not a continent waiting to be rescued. It is creating solutions, building businesses and shaping its own future with confidence.
“We must stop defining Africa by poverty and suffering alone. The world should also see our ideas, talents, investments and the remarkable progress taking place across the continent every day,” she said.
Attafuah credited Ms Eziakonwa with advancing African ownership in development conversations and promoting a shift toward industrialisation, enterprise development and African-led solutions.
She noted that initiatives introduced under Eziakonwa’s leadership had strengthened entrepreneurship, trade, women’s political participation, youth development and regional integration through strategic partnerships.
According to her, programmes such as ‘timbuktoo’ technology hubs and support for the African Continental Free Trade Area are unlocking Africa’s economic potential.
She added that Nigeria had benefited from innovation hubs in Lagos and Keffi, while another manufacturing technology hub would soon be inaugurated in Abia.
Describing the gathering as a platform for dialogue and partnership, she said it brought together women leaders across government, diplomacy, business, academia, civil society and development organisations.
She emphasised that inclusive leadership remained essential to sustainable development and institutional growth.
“Transformation is never achieved by institutions working alone. It is accelerated when leaders unite around shared purpose, shared ambition and shared action,” she said.
Attafuah further urged participants to build sustainable networks that would influence policy, mentor future women leaders and generate practical development solutions.
In her remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, called for stronger collaboration among women to drive inclusive development and national progress.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim said Nigerian and African women had demonstrated resilience and excellence despite persistent challenges, urging greater solidarity through mentorship and cooperation.
“Every woman has a story of sacrifice, resilience and success. When we stand together, we become a stronger force for national and continental transformation,” she said.
She added that partnerships between UNDP and federal ministries would strengthen women’s participation in governance, peacebuilding and economic development, noting that initiatives such as the Nigeria for Women Project and the Scale-Up Project were expanding opportunities for women across the country.
Also speaking, Mrs Chioma Uzodimma, Wife of the Imo State Governor, described Ms Eziakonwa as a role model whose achievements reflect the global potential of Nigerian women.
“Her achievements remind young girls that excellence, integrity and dedication can open doors to global leadership,” she said.
Similarly, Dr Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Wife of the Kwara State Governor, called for sustained investments in education, healthcare and economic empowerment to improve the lives of women, children and vulnerable communities.
She stressed that governments and development partners must continue working together to reduce poverty and expand opportunities for disadvantaged groups.
In her response, Ms Eziakonwa called for greater investment in women’s leadership, describing African women as one of the continent’s most underutilised development assets.
She said Africa’s future depended on the quality of leadership it nurtures, urging institutions to create more opportunities for women in governance, innovation and economic transformation.
“The more important question is whether Africa is creating the conditions that allow women to lead transformation at the scale our future demands.
“Empowering women is not simply a gender issue but a development imperative,” she said.
Eziakonwa also reiterated the need for more dignified portrayals of Africa, noting that while challenges persist, they do not define the continent.
She highlighted UNDP initiatives such as the African Facility for Women in Political Leadership and the Africa Academy for Women in Political Leadership, which have attracted more than 1,300 applicants from 41 African countries, including Nigeria.
She urged governments, businesses, civil society and development partners to invest in inclusive leadership, mentorship and stronger institutions to shape Africa’s next development chapter.
The event closed with a renewed call for collaboration, visibility, and investment in African-led solutions to development challenges.
