“This high-sulfur gasoline could never have been sold at a pump in Europe, but it was good enough for the African market.”
Erik Solheim
When even the UN, who historically has faltered in doing right by Africa, can acknowledge the unacceptable practices that Africa has been subjected to by private companies, it speaks to how dire the circumstances are. Erik Solheim, Director of the UN Environment Programme, called out the practice of fuel companies mixing diesel with cheaper fuels to sell to African countries. Africans are suffering by relying on imported goods.
At the expense of Africans’ health, safety, and environment, low quality products have been deemed “good enough” for our markets based on the stigma that African governments and their people won’t know the difference and don’t have the political or economic power to demand better.
Let’s look at two sectors where we’re seeing their consequences.
Medicine
Earlier this month, Gambia launched an emergency recall of cough syrups after the deaths of 66 children across the country. The children are said to have died from acute kidney injury from toxins in the low-quality medicine. Gambia launched a door-to-door campaign collecting the medicine, but the damage was done. Low quality medicine being imported into Africa is deadly.
Fuel
It’s not uncommon to see dirty diesel imported from European fuel companies branded as “African quality.” To cut cost and maximize profit, traders and fuel companies are dumping cheap, dirty fuels by blending them with diesel before export, at the expense of Africans’ health and the air they breathe.
If even the most basic goods coming into our region end up doing more harm than good, it’s time to reconsider their sources. There is an urgent need to leverage innovation to produce goods in Africa because our well-being and that of our children depend on it. By connecting African communities to the technology available in the marketplace, our region can change the narrative about Africa and no longer be subject to deliberately low-quality goods.
We need every member of the community, no matter your background, status or expertise, on board to reverse the reliance on outsiders. Everyone can play a role, from entrepreneurs to consumers, in creating buy-in to an autonomous, bright future for Africa.
