By Kwame Gonza (Thinker, Engineer, and Member of the African Continental Unity Party – ACUP)
While I have outlined the essentials of our education and rapid industrialization strategy, including attracting retired and unemployed experts and professionals in engineering and industrialization from the developed world, this approach can be extended even further.
In fact, this is precisely what China has done successfully. I have mentioned before that Africa is similar to China in many ways, though not in all. Both were colonized by the same aggressive exploiters, though Africa’s colonization was more severe. Both are diverse, though Africa is more diverse. Both were fragmented before unification, with the exploiters encouraging this fragmentation to ensure weakness and facilitate exploitation. For China, it was the era of warlords; for Africa, it is the clueless so-called heads of state, who in many ways can be likened to regional warlords across the continent.
Learning from China’s Automobile Success
China’s achievements and success in the automobile industry cannot be discussed without acknowledging its use of Western engineers and designers who helped train its workforce. Additionally, China has encouraged its scientists to return home after acquiring expertise in the West, a call they have answered in large numbers. Furthermore, China has given Western experts like Wolfgang Egger, a German chief designer at BYD, near-complete creative freedom. This has enabled BYD to produce design after design, contributing to the company’s—and China’s—dominance in the electric vehicle industry.
Established companies like VW, Stellantis, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, and Toyota are bound by well-established processes, a reality of any long-standing company. These processes can stifle innovation and free thinking. For instance, VW fired its CEO Herbert Diess, who was trying to rapidly push the company toward electrification. This leaves professionals like Diess frustrated. China has taken advantage of this, offering them the creative freedom they seek, leading to its leadership in the electric vehicle sector, at least for now.
Africa’s Strategic Opportunity
The ACUP and Africa must observe this strategy and be ready to implement it when the time comes. One could even go so far as to suggest that African automobile companies like Kantanka Automobile in Ghana, Innoson Automobile in Nigeria, and Kiira Motors in Uganda should consider hiring the frustrated former VW CEO, Herbert Diess. If the individual companies struggle to afford his compensation, they could collaborate and hire him collectively as the CEO of all three. This move would play well into the hands of the West, which is seeking to contain China, while allowing Africa to benefit from this rivalry.
Collaborating with or Acquiring Struggling Western Companies
Furthering this strategy, Africa should explore the option of buying or offering collaborative opportunities to struggling Western companies. These companies, which hold key technologies, could be offered a large African market in exchange for training African engineers and transferring technology. If collaboration proves difficult, African funds could be used to outright acquire these companies, ensuring that their valuable technology is transferred to the continent.
This strategy, rooted in attracting talent and acquiring key technology, can help Africa realize its potential for rapid industrial growth.
Wolfgang Josef Egger is a German car designer who formerly served as head designer for European luxury car brands Alfa Romeo, Audi, and Lamborghini, and currently serves as the head designer for Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Auto.
Herbert Diess is a German business executive who served as the CEO of Volkswagen Group from 2018 to 2022. Diess is known for his strong advocacy for electric vehicles (EVs) and pushing Volkswagen toward a transition to electrification and digitalization.
