Across the globe, many countries have long used Africa’s growing youth population and its untapped skills to fuel development.
Africa has given much to the world in resources, manpower, and wealth, much of it extracted through exploitation during the dark chapters of slavery and colonial rule.
Now, the topic of reparations for Africa is becoming a priority once more.
The new leadership of the Commonwealth, under the guidance of Shirley Botchwey, the new Secretary-General, is being urged to address this issue.
Reparations for historical injustices caused by colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and neocolonialism have been a long-standing call from African governments and civil society organizations.
However, these calls have often fallen on deaf ears.
In February, at its 38th summit, the African Union (AU) launched the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations,” in an effort to unite African nations in seeking justice and to offer technical support to member states in their pursuit of reparations.
This perspective draws from reports by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Reparations, in a broad sense, refer to the act of making amends for wrongdoings, providing restitution, or compensating the harmed parties.
The primary aim is to address past wrongs and offer some form of compensation for the damages caused.
Recently, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, reignited the conversation around reparations for African nations.
Idris emphasized several key factors that the Commonwealth should consider as it leads this critical conversation that will shape Africa’s future.
He proposed that funds and cooperation could be directed towards new joint ventures between Britain and Commonwealth countries, projects that create long-term, shared value.
These projects, he suggested, should focus on infrastructure, economic development, and job creation, helping to connect Africa in a way that will drive trade and development.
“One of Africa’s defining challenges is its lack of intra-continental trade,” Idris said. “The colonial history of resource extraction for the West has left Africa with weak regional exchanges.”
He also pointed out that without vital infrastructure, roads, railways, ports, the potential for a free trade agreement among Africa’s 54 nations would be limited.
Debt forgiveness, he added, should also be part of the reparations conversation. “No Western funds are required up front,” he said. “Only a write-down off government books.”
The minister stressed that debt continues to constrain many African nations, exacerbated by a global financial system that favors Western interests.
Many African nations now spend more on debt repayments than on education and healthcare combined, Idris explained.
He also pointed to Africa’s urgent need for fiscal space to fund development and build resilience against the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Despite the difficulties, Idris is confident that calls to leave the Commonwealth will not derail the reparations discussion.
“This is a conversation that has been central to the African Union summit and one that the Caribbean Community has been pursuing for over a decade,” he noted.
“Instead of retreating, why not lead—as the Commonwealth did with sanctions isolating apartheid South Africa?”
As Africa seeks reparations for past injustices, the issue is not only about financial compensation.
It’s also about rethinking global trade and economic structures that continue to hold Africa back.
“Africa holds immense opportunity,” Idris said.
“Its markets are set to surge, and it is rich in critical minerals that will define the energy transition.
To fully seize this opportunity, we must first confront and reckon with the past.”
Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, also highlighted the deep-rooted impact of the transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation.
“The historical injustices of the past have led to persistent inequalities in financial systems, trade structures, and governance,” he said.
“Despite holding 30 percent of the world’s mineral reserves and 65 percent of arable land, Africa contributes only three percent to global trade and just one percent to manufacturing output.
This is due to the structural barriers left by colonialism.”
Gatete called for a comprehensive approach to reparative justice that goes beyond just financial compensation.
He emphasized that Africa is now positioning itself as a crucial player in global social and economic affairs, with its vast untapped resources and a burgeoning market.
“The African continent is taking its rightful place in the global arena,” Gatete said.
“The world cannot ignore Africa in the future of global trade, and it’s time for the continent to engage the world on new terms.”
As the AU leads this charge for reparations, analysts believe that the actions taken by countries involved with Africa in the reparations discussion, including former colonial powers such as France, the UK, and Spain, will shape Africa’s relationships with other global powers, including China, Russia, and Turkey.
These countries, which have no colonial history in Africa, are already forging ties with the continent, and their involvement in the reparations discussion will likely impact Africa’s future political and economic strategies.
