Senator Ned Munir Nwoko has made case for the need for an African currency and a common language to unify the continent.
Speaking on Friday night at a power room session, “The Africa We See,” hosted by Elevate Africa at Transcorp Hilton, Senator Nwoko reiterated the need for an African currency and a common language and how these could transform Africa’s economic and cultural landscape.
“We don’t need the dollar, we don’t need euros. What we need is an African currency that will enable us to trade among ourselves,” Senator Ned Nwoko said.
He explained that relying on foreign currencies continues to limit Africa’s economic potential and stifles trade between African nations.
According to the billionaire businessman and chairman of Senate committee on reparations and repatriation, a single African currency would make trade more efficient and empower the continent to stand stronger on the global stage.
Reflecting on Africa’s colonial history, the legal luminary noted that languages like English, French, and German were imposed by partitioners.
However, the continent is home to many indigenous languages, such as Swahili, Hausa, Arabic, and Yoruba, which are spoken across multiple countries.
“We’ve seen the effects of colonialism with languages like English, French, and German imposed on us, but we have rich indigenous languages like Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, and Arabic,” he said.
He believes that adopting one of these languages as a pan-African language could strengthen unity and cultural identity.
Senator Ned Nwoko, however, noted that none of this can be achieved without strong leadership.
“We need political leaders who are willing to put Africa first, leaders who are truly passionate about building a new Africa,” he stressed.
The event was part of Elevate Africa’s ongoing series of discussions focused on shaping a vision for a more united and prosperous Africa.
