Africa’s Nature Economy: Innovation Drives Green Transition

Experts at GLF Africa 2025 highlight community-led solutions and investment potential.

A recent forum in Nairobi, Kenya, spotlighted the potential of Africa’s nature economy. Nearly 2,500 participants explored community-led solutions driving a green transition across the continent, from land restoration to green jobs.

AI and Innovation

According to **Eliane Ubalichiro**, CEO of CIFOR-ICRAF, “When raw data is given meaning, it becomes information. When information is put into context, it becomes knowledge. And when knowledge becomes actionable and applied, only then does it become wisdom.” She urged turning data into actionable strategies for Africa’s natural resources.

Esther Maina, Geospatial Developer at the Kenya Space Agency, emphasized including farmers as co-creators in AI solutions: “AI technology is going to help us only when we include the farmer not just as the end user but as a co-creator in our solutions. … Leveraging what people know is one way we can find better fitting solutions for them.”

Data transparency can unlock investments, said **Kate**, Founder & CEO of Amini AI: “Data and AI play a pivotal role in unlocking some of those insights that we’ve never had access to before, bringing a level of transparency that can restore trust in our ecosystem…. It will only work, though, if we really start treating our natural capital as a core economic driver … with the potential to unlock trillions in capital.”

Restoration and Land Rights

Land rights are fundamental for Africa’s nature economy, stated **Solange Bandaky-Badji**, President of Rights and Resources Group: “How can we make sure that Africa’s relationship with the West or the private sector is based on a win-win situation? We all know that the West has the technology, but we have the resources, so that should put Africa in a very powerful bargaining position.”

Traditional knowledge is key, explained **Joshua Laizer**, Co-founder of TACCEI: “Indigenous people, particularly those on drylands – they have been living their life for generations, overcoming challenges and uncertainties just with the simple knowledge of understanding the environment.”

**Abisa’s yellow**, INUKA Project Coordinator at Youth4Nature, said that “We need to create enabling ecosystems that support people to do more restoration and tap into nature-based economies, because policies without people is just poetry.”

Prosperity Through Nature

Capturing the full value of biomass is essential, according to **Peter Minang**, Director for Africa, CIFOR-ICRAF. The current restoration model only values a small fraction of biomass, mainly commodities, urging the need to capture the other significant percentage.

**Sellah Bogonko**, Co-Founder and CEO of Jacob’s Ladder Africa, advocated for investment-centered development rather than aid. Africa’s vast natural resources and growing population make it a compelling investment opportunity.

**Steve Misati**, Director at Youth Pawa and 2024 Ocean Restoration Steward, believes “Africa’s nature economy has the potential to sustain ourselves, so there’s no need for us to heavily rely on foreign aid. We are our own resource.”

The African Union has launched the African Green Minerals Strategy to leverage the continent’s mineral resources for green technologies and sustainable development (UN Africa Renewal 2024).

Economic Reliance on Natural Capital

A significant portion of Africa’s economy relies on its natural capital, including forests, biodiversity, water, and land. Investing in sustainable landscape practices could yield substantial returns, but productive landscapes are being degraded by climate change, insecure land rights, and underfunded initiatives.

With Africa’s population projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, demands for food, shelter, and jobs will surge, emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions.