Africa can turn post-Hormuz disruptions into a maritime renaissance
With traffic through the Strait of Hormuz still unstable, the author argues that Africa can use the shift to a multi-corridor world to reshape its maritime role.
Continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have underscored Africa's vulnerability despite its abundant energy and mineral assets. The author labels the emerging multi-corridor system a "post-Hormuz era" and suggests the continent can pivot from a passive resource exporter to an active geopolitical actor. Historical "thalassophobia"—seeing the sea merely as a boundary—combined with sovereignty worries, diverse maritime threats, costly capability building, dependence on foreign naval forces, and fragmented national policies have kept Africa from developing a unified maritime strategy.
Overcoming these hurdles requires a shift in elite perception, a coalition of anchor states such as South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and others, and concrete steps: ratifying existing maritime frameworks, creating shared domain awareness, establishing an African maritime security fund, linking ports to the African Continental Free Trade Area, boosting refining and storage capacity, and investing in maritime education and industry. If implemented, these measures could turn Africa into a central hub in the new network of global sea corridors.
Why it matters
Africa's ability to shape its own maritime future could boost its economies and lessen dependence on external powers.
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