For Africa to Grow, We Need More Wealthy People and Fewer Rich People
In Africa, we need people willing to build wealth and not gain riches.
The future of Africa will be built on wealth, not riches. Because wealth is built, while riches are gathered. And the difference between the two is more than just a matter of money—it’s a matter of mindset.
Wealth vs. Riches
• Wealth is created through the use and application of the mind. It’s about producing value and contributing to the world in a way that multiplies resources.
• Riches, on the other hand, are often gathered by manipulating systems, usually through corruption or power plays that offer temporary benefits but ultimately harm society.
The Nature of Riches
Riches are finite. They rely on exploiting a system with limited resources, hoarding money, and squeezing everything possible out of the system.
• It’s cash-based, salary-based, and rooted in the belief that there’s only so much money to go around.
• This mindset of scarcity fuels corruption and dishonesty.
Take Tony, for example.
Tony works at a powerful company, and he’s told that the only way to “get rich” is to climb the ladder and get to the top of the food chain. When he finally gets there, he starts manipulating finances, siphoning funds, and using his position to gather as much money as possible. And he does all of this just so he can be called rich. To prove his status, he buys the latest cars, builds mansions, and lives extravagantly. But all of this is built on a flawed system of exploitation and greed.
Now consider Emma.
Emma works as a civil servant in a government parastatal. His entire life, he’s been taught that real wealth only belongs to those in high places—the big offices with access to government funds. Because of this belief, he thinks his only path to success is getting a promotion or playing politics. He feels stuck, frustrated, and powerless, convinced that the world has only so much to offer and that he’s not lucky enough to access it.
The entire mindset of riches is built upon the idea that there is a limited amount of wealth in the world, and you have to struggle to gain the little you can. But here’s the truth: that scarcity mindset is a lie. And it’s holding Africa back.
The Nature of Wealth
Wealth is infinite because it’s based on the empowerment and production of the mind. It’s about creating value, building systems, and multiplying resources.
Now, meet Alex.
Alex is a mechanic who buys used cars and resells them. He buys a used Toyota for $3,000, spends $1,000 fixing it up, and then sells it for $15,000. That’s an $11,000 profit. But more than that, Alex created wealth. He took something that had little value and transformed it into something worth much more.
But here’s the key difference: Alex’s main aim is to provide value, not to be called rich. The profit is a side effect of the value he produces. His focus is on solving problems and making things better, and the money follows.
This is the heart of wealth creation—turning ideas and effort into something of value. It’s about creativity, production, and growth.
The Roots of Wealth Creation
The concept of wealth-building is tied to agrarian societies. For the first time, humans could create something from their ideas—by planting seeds, tending to crops, and producing food. This led to creativity, trade, and eventually the birth of the economy.
• With wealth creation came the need to pass down knowledge, which led to education.
• And education, when used to empower and innovate, creates even more wealth.
But let’s look even further back.
In the days of hunter-gatherer societies, scarcity was the norm. A caveman named Igor would hunt boar, knowing there were only so many boars in the forest. This lifestyle led to a scarcity mentality because survival depended on gathering what was available. The more you gathered, the better your chances of survival.
Contrast that with the agrarians who discovered they could grow crops, not just find them. This shift in mindset—from gathering to building—is the key to true wealth creation. And it’s what Africa needs more of today.
Why This Matters for Africa
Wealth, by nature, is about progress for the common good. It’s a mindset that says, “I will build, and what I build will benefit not just me, but everyone around me.”
Africa needs more people with a wealth-building mindset and fewer people stuck in the mindset of gathering riches.
Because when you build wealth, you’re not just accumulating resources—you’re creating opportunities, empowering others, and setting a foundation for real, lasting growth.