Africa, especially sub Sahara Africa, has for the last five decades been trapped in raw material exports and agrarian economies. The continent's weak political systems, questionable institutional frameworks and minimal trade links with global markets have been viewed as contributing factors to its stagnation. The future of African-German relations is pegged on which side Germany will choose to take; to free Africans from shackles of controlled global markets or to join the rest in a predatory mindset thereby underdeveloping the continent further. What the world has failed to probe is the role, planned economic and political systems pushed down the throats of Africans by international institutions such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the UN among others, play in stagnating the continent.

Germany has a unique position as a major shareholder at the World Bank and the IMF to utilise its unique Social Market Economic system to push for African countries to increase their productivity. What Africa needs is a vibrant indigenous business sector that can help push for a sound business environment and that can hold political leadership to account. It is in the interest of the business communities in Germany to encounter a vibrant one billion African-people market. An African market that upholds high standards in respect for property rights, rule of law; clear and efficient business regulatory framework free from corruption and unwarranted political interference.

A proactive partnership between German business people and African indigenous business people is the first step to illuminate a positive relationship. Getting rid of international do-gooder agencies will certainly transform Africans into stakeholders in their own affairs thereby facilitating a stable business macro economic policy environment. Liberating African indigenous business people from globally protected market systems ought to drive Africa’s future relations with Germany.