Why Africa waits while Asia builds

• In a stinging critique, Doanh Chau, President of Vietnam Gas says Kenya and Africa is not short on talent or resources—it is suffering from a chronic failure in leadership, vision, and execution.
• He says Kenya and Africa’s woes stem from unreliable electricity to misplaced infrastructure priorities and a governance culture geared more toward optics than results.
• Doanh Chau: “Leaders talk big, but systems don’t move,”. For Chau, African leaders should stop performing for the next donor visit or global conference and start building strong institutions that work for their people.

A hard look at Kenya, and Africa by extension

In a sharply worded critique following high-level meetings in China, Doanh Chau, President of Vietnam Gas, offers an unflinching examination of Kenya’s leadership and, by extension, the broader challenges facing Africa. His central point? Africa is not short on talent or resources—it is suffering from a chronic failure in leadership, vision, and execution.

For policymakers, investors, and leaders across the continent, Chau’s message isn’t just an external critique—it is a mirror reflecting the inconvenient truths stalling Africa’s development. From unreliable electricity to misplaced infrastructure priorities and a governance culture geared more toward optics than results, his observations demand attention.

Execution Deficit: The silent killer of progress

Chau highlights a pervasive issue that many Kenyans and African citizens and businesses know too well: the absence of a serious execution culture. For instance, while leaders in Kenya spoke confidently about infrastructure, housing, and investment, Chau saw little beyond polished language. “Leaders talk big, but systems don’t move,” he noted.

The problem isn’t about foreign aid or a lack of global attention. It’s about the internal dysfunction that delays projects, discourages investment, and drives away local ingenuity. African governments often wait for outsiders to bring business opportunities instead of cultivating an enabling environment through credible policies and strong institutions.

Powering development: The electricity equation

Chau uses the case of electricity to draw a stark contrast between Kenya, East Africa’s largest econmy and Vietnam—two countries at comparable population levels, yet vastly different developmental trajectories. Vietnam, with 100 million people, produces over 70 gigawatts (GW) of electricity. Kenya, with half the population, struggles at just 4GW.

“This [electricity/energy] is not a side issue—it’s the foundation of economic development,” he asserts. No serious investor will consider building a factory in a country where the power supply is unstable. Vietnam understood this early on. It built robust energy infrastructure before establishing free trade zones, laying the groundwork for a thriving export economy.

Africa, on the other hand, often focuses on high-profile projects such as the Nairobi Expressway in Kenya or airports that lack a viable economic base to justify them.

Tourism and the tragedy of poor systems

Another missed opportunity, Chau argues, is Africa’s handling of tourism. Despite its world-class natural attractions, the sector is stifled by inefficiency. In Kenya, tourists must endure 90-minute check-ins at safari gates—even with prior bookings, he laments. Nightlife and entertainment options are limited, and once the sun sets, cities largely shut down.

The result? Low visitor spending, short stays, and underutilized tourism potential. It’s not just about marketing Africa as a destination; it’s about designing systems that make travel seamless, rewarding, and memorable.

Investor confidence and the trust gap

Public housing, another area Kenya’s President William Ruto champions, is an illustrative case of misplaced ambition. Chau observes that despite the plan’s boldness, investors remain wary. Petty corruption, shifting legal frameworks, and weak risk mitigation measures create an environment of fear rather than faith.

Africa’s leaders need to recognize that serious investors demand more than ribbon-cutting ceremonies. They look for consistency in policy, transparency in governance, and clarity in contracts. Without these fundamentals, investor pledges will continue to evaporate into empty press statements.

The Asian comparison: Where execution meets vision

So, what’s the difference? Chau draws from Asia’s success, particularly in Vietnam and Singapore. There, leadership is rooted in discipline, clarity, and performance. Leaders start their day early, focus on execution, and let data—not politics—guide policy. What’s more:–

• Power supply is stable.
• Policies are consistent.
• Performance drives incentives.

This is not to say Asia doesn’t face its own challenges, but it underscores what Africa could learn: results don’t come from summits or speeches—they come from systems.

Time to shift the mindset

Africa doesn’t lack potential—it lacks a shift in mindset. Chau calls for a radical transformation: one where African leaders stop performing for the next donor visit or global conference and start building strong institutions that work for their people.

The window for global competitiveness is narrowing. While Africa prepares yet another summit speech, Asia is breaking ground on another industrial zone. If Africa wants to leap forward, it must turn off the microphone and turn on the power—both literally and figuratively.

For African policymakers, business leaders, and investors, the message is clear: the time for optics is over. It’s time to execute.

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