Tanzania’s descent into repression is a stark warning of how fast Africa’s progress can be eroded | Kenneth Mohammed

When she became president, Samia Suluhu Hassan offered hope. But the country’s sudden democratic decay is more than just a national tragedy

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renewed sense of hope has taken root across the African continent. It is an optimism resting on solid ground: a booming population expected to surpass 2.5 billion by mid-century; vast reserves of critical minerals, oil and gas; and unprecedented levels of infrastructure investment.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) projects that Africa’s combined GDP could reach $4tn (£3tn) by 2030, driven by green-energy investments, urbanisation and digital innovation. One of their senior economists told me confidently earlier this year: “The future will be written in Africa.”

Their “High 5s” strategy has galvanised billions in financing and encouraged a renewed confidence in the continent’s future that is reflected across the diaspora. These transformations symbolise an inflection point: Africa rising on its own terms.