Ethiopia is Africa’s next superpower but here are four boxes it needs to tick

Look within

Ethiopia is a bundle of geographical contrasts. The highest point of the country, the northern Semien Mountains are about 4533 meters or 14872.05 feet high while the Danakil Depression is 125 meters or 410 feet below sea level.

The country does not have much in the way of minerals, boasting modest returns for copper, gold and platinum although the natural gas-rich region of Ogaden promises so much more. Ethiopia has varied vegetation types and much of the land is arable.

But more importantly, across this sprawling expanse of vegetation cover and desert too, Ethiopians number about 110 million. Only Nigeria has more people than Ethiopia in Africa.

Even though it is landlocked, the drastic potential of Ethiopia’s natural and human resources has become more apparent ever since the turn of the century. The capacity for an economic revolution and other multidimensional requirements for self-sufficiency are obviously there and need to harnessed.