BTA Admin Sammy Gyamfi says Africa’s economic future depends on diaspora capital flowing into businesses, infrastructure and industry rather than household consumption alone.
Ghana Gold Board Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi has urged Africans living abroad to move beyond sending remittances and become long-term investors in businesses, infrastructure and industrial development across the continent.
Speaking at the EMY Africa – Africa Rising Symposium in London, Gyamfi said Africa’s relationship with its diaspora should evolve from emotional and family support into a strategic economic partnership capable of creating jobs, expanding industries and increasing African ownership of the continent’s resources.
“This moment demands more than remittances. It demands investment,” Gyamfi said. “Remittances are lifelines, but investment builds self-sustaining engines. Remittances help households survive, but investment helps economies transform.”
He argued that Africa’s economic rise would remain incomplete if the continent continued to export raw materials while value creation and wealth accumulation occurred largely outside Africa.
“Africa’s rise must mean African resources creating African industries, African jobs, African brands, African wealth, African reserves and African dignity,” he said.
Gyamfi described the African diaspora as one of the continent’s most underutilised strategic assets, citing not only financial resources but also technical expertise, technology, global business networks and governance experience that could help accelerate economic development.
He encouraged diaspora investors to channel capital into manufacturing, agribusiness, commercial farming, logistics, information technology, renewable energy, healthcare, education, infrastructure and value-added industries, sectors he said are critical to building more resilient African economies.
Beyond financial investment, he called on professionals abroad to contribute through mentorship, technology transfer and institution building.
The remarks come as several African governments seek to attract greater diaspora investment as a source of long-term capital and foreign exchange.
Ghana has increasingly positioned diaspora engagement as part of its broader economic development strategy, including initiatives aimed at increasing domestic ownership in strategic sectors.
Gyamfi said the creation of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) forms part of that effort by formalising the gold supply chain, improving transparency, reducing smuggling and expanding opportunities for local value addition.
He also disclosed that GoldBod plans to introduce gold-backed tokenised investment assets, which he said would allow more Africans to own a direct stake in the continent’s mineral wealth.
Turning to Africa’s demographic outlook, Gyamfi warned that the continent’s rapidly growing youth population could become a major economic liability if governments fail to create sufficient employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Citing the Mastercard Foundation Africa Youth Employment Outlook 2026, he noted that Africa has approximately 532 million people between the ages of 15 and 35.
“The African youth does not need pity,” he said. “The African youth needs access—to skills, financing, credit, markets, technology, mentorship and institutions that reward effort.”
He also called on African governments to strengthen policy certainty, investor protection, contract enforcement and institutional transparency in order to attract more long-term investment from both diaspora communities and international investors.
Sammy Gyamfi’s message reflects a broader shift in African economic thinking: remittances remain important, but diaspora capital deployed into businesses, industry and productive assets could have a far greater impact on employment, exports and long-term wealth creation across the continent.
