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Paper short abstract

Africa faces prolonged uncertainty as climate shocks, economic pressure, political change and rapid technology reshape lives and governance. This paper shows how power shapes choices, how Africans act with agency, and calls for fair partnerships that widen policy space.

Paper long abstract

Africa is experiencing a period of deep and sustained uncertainty. Climate pressures are disrupting livelihoods and ecosystems, economic instability continues to strain public finances, political change is reshaping governance, and rapid technological advances are transforming societies and markets. Together, these forces have made development planning across the continent more complex and less predictable. In response, this paper rethinks development from an Africa-centred perspective, focusing on how power shapes development choices and how Africans exercise agency to influence outcomes and future pathways. Drawing on a qualitative and interdisciplinary synthesis of recent peer-reviewed studies and credible policy reports published between 2018 and 2024, the paper examines power and agency across three interconnected levels: global, national, and local. The analysis shows that African agency is becoming increasingly visible through policy reforms, community-led initiatives, civic engagement, innovation, and growing regional cooperation, including efforts to deepen trade and economic integration. At the same time, persistent power imbalances continue to influence development governance. Financing arrangements, agenda-setting processes, and dominant knowledge systems often constrain local choice and long-term planning. To address this tension, the paper proposes a conceptual framework linking power structures, African agency, and development futures. The framework highlights feedback effects, showing how development outcomes can either reinforce existing arrangements or create space for institutional change. The paper concludes that reimagining Africa’s development requires partnerships that expand local policy space, strengthen inclusive governance, and support African-led innovation and social protection systems capable of building long-term resilience.

Keywords:

Africa; Agency; Development; Futures; Governance; Power; Sustainability