-At IMO Economic Summit
By G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I
Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. says Africa’s economic transformation depends on collective effort, stronger governance, and innovation-driven investment, declaring that “when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion,” as he addressed the Inaugural Imo State Economic Summit in Owerri, Nigeria, on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
President Boakai praised Imo State’s economic potential and saluted Governor Hope Uzodinma for convening what he described as a timely forum to rethink development. “Your vision to unlock Imo State’s economic potential is both timely and essential,” he said, noting Imo’s status as Nigeria’s fourth-richest state and its ranking on the Human Development Index. He highlighted striking similarities between Liberia and Imo, particularly their shared reliance on agriculture and palm oil production.
Boakai emphasized that partnership, investment, and innovation must anchor Africa’s development agenda. “No society advances alone. No government succeeds in isolation,” he stressed, pointing to Liberia’s own progress through regional cooperation, institutional strengthening, and the country’s recent election to the UN Security Council. He said Liberia’s achievements—including exceeding a billion-dollar national budget for the first time with 94% domestic revenue—prove what strong governance can deliver.
He urged Imo State to pursue investment that is “smart, realistic, sustainable, and inclusive,” backed by transparency and anti-corruption measures that reassure investors. He also underscored innovation as a necessity, not an option: “Innovation begins with mindset, not machines. It begins with the belief that we, as Africans, can build, create, and lead.”
The Liberian leader said both Liberia and Imo share a history of resilience and a mutual commitment to peace, development, and good governance. He noted that Liberia’s reforms under his administration—agriculture, infrastructure, health, and anti-corruption—mirror the aspirations of many African states, including Imo. He added that African elections must translate into genuine improvements in people’s lives: “If Africa must progress, let our elections don’t just be peaceful, but must bring about developmental dividend to those who elect them.”
Concluding his statement, Boakai reiterated Liberia’s readiness to expand cooperation with Imo State and Nigeria, stressing that the continent’s future depends on unity, responsible leadership, and shared ambition. “When partnership is strong, progress becomes possible. When investment is responsible, industries take shape. When innovation is encouraged, society transforms.”
