Nigeria, July 2 -- A few people have asked why I have become so "bullish" about Africa. My years in international development and governance work have shown me something clearly: policy choices matter, institutional strength matters, and narrative shapes outcomes more than most people admit.

Africa's story has long been dominated by crisis language, such as conflict, corruption and fragility. These labels travel globally and quietly shape how risk is priced, how governments are treated and how its people are valued, and how the continent is engaged. Some actors benefit from a narrative that keeps Africa in a permanent state of dependency. The long term cost to us is enormous.

But the data tells a very different story; one that rarely ge...