Peter Obi Outlines Key Strategies For Nigeria and Africa To Counter Trump’s Tariff Attacks

He advocated for a transformative approach to Africa’s economic growth, urging the continent to embark on a change agenda that focuses on rapid economic development.

Obi made these remarks on Tuesday in London during the plenary session of the 2025 Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) Trade and Investment Summit, as reported by his media spokesperson, Ibrahim Umar.

He expressed concern over Africa’s over-reliance on external Western political and economic institutions, rather than focusing on its own productivity and human capital development.

This statement came in the wake of the US government’s decision to impose a 14 percent tariff on Nigerian exports, citing Nigeria’s restrictions on 25 categories of American goods.

Last week, President Trump introduced new tariffs as part of his ‘Liberation Day’ trade measures, which affected several countries, including Nigeria.

In response, Obi stressed the need for African nations to focus on rapidly improving their productive capacities, particularly in areas like education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation.

Speaking on “Africa’s Role in the New Global Economy,” Obi advised African leaders to invest in the continent’s youthful workforce, which exceeds a billion people.

Despite its potential, Obi noted that Africa’s share of global trade remains a mere 2-3 percent, and its GDP per capita is low at $1,900, far below Asia’s $9,000 average.

He pointed out that Africa has abundant natural resources, including nearly a billion hectares of uncultivated arable land, making up over 60 percent of the world’s arable land and about 30 percent of global mineral resources.

Obi also highlighted the significant potential of Africa’s agricultural sector, noting that the continent’s food and agriculture market, valued at around $280 billion annually, is expected to grow to over $1 trillion by 2030.

He stressed that with agriculture at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation, the continent could become a global agricultural powerhouse and a net food exporter, making substantial contributions to the global economy.

However, he argued that what Africa lacks is leadership that can reshape priorities and increase productivity to enable the continent to move up the value chain.

Obi concluded by stating that Africa must prepare for higher-value production in response to trade restrictions imposed by President Trump and leverage any global trade arrangements that may arise from his policies.