President Paul Kagame has called on African governments and business leaders to actively pursue an inclusive growth model that he said results into a win-win situation for everyone.

He was speaking yesterday on a panel discussion dubbed ‘Unlocking Job Creating Growth’ at the ongoing World Economic Forum on Africa in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

The President said that economic progress should be premised on the principles of equity and equality, highlighting the need for creation of more jobs for the benefit of citizens.

The impact of this approach, Kagame said, is that ordinary people will get involved in income-generating activities.

Pointing out that an environment that allows only a few enterprises or individuals to grow at the expense of others was the last thing Africa needed, Kagame called for more investment in areas that create a wider impact on the general population to help increase incomes.

He cited the growing role of Rwanda’s private sector towards the country’s inclusive growth model and said that agriculture–a major income-generating activity for many Rwandans–played a major role in slashing the country’s poverty levels by 14 per cent, lifting a million citizens out of poverty between 2007 and 2012 in the process.

Needs of the citizenry

Kagame also called on African policy makers to formulate laws and policies that respond to the needs of the ordinary citizens, adding that challenges associated with the inclusive growth model should not discourage leaders from taking the right action.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan urged increased engagement of the private sector to help provide jobs to fresh graduates, and called on young people to discard the habit of expecting jobs from governments. 

Other panelists included Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dagonte, CEO of Dangote Group; Winnie  Byanyima, Executive Director, Oxfam; John Rice, the Vice Chairman and President & CEO GE Global Growth & Operations; and Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Company from the United Kingdom.