Malema Calls for One Africa: President, Currency, and Army to Challenge U.S. Dollar

South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema

By iNewsAfrica Staff Writer | August 25, 2025

Enugu, Nigeria – South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema, has ignited fresh debate on Pan-African unity by calling for the continent to adopt a single president, currency, army, and parliament to challenge global powers and reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.

Speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association’s annual general conference in Enugu, Malema declared that Africa’s future lies not in fragmented states but in one unified authority that can leverage the continent’s vast population, resources, and cultural strength.

“We know the currency of Africa will be much stronger against the American currency. We don’t care what Donald Trump or any other leader thinks of us,” Malema said, drawing applause from delegates.

A Borderless Africa

Malema urged African leaders to dismantle colonial-era borders, which he described as artificial lines designed to weaken African solidarity. His vision includes the creation of a borderless continent, with Africans moving freely across nations without restrictions.

Challenging Western Dominance

The EFF leader argued that a unified Africa would hold the economic and military weight to stand up to Western powers and redefine global economic relations. By creating a single African currency, Malema insisted, the continent could end its dependence on the U.S. dollar and other foreign currencies, which he described as tools of economic subjugation.

Echoes of Nkrumah and Gaddafi

Malema’s call resonates with the Pan-African ideals once championed by Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and later revived by Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. Both leaders envisioned a “United States of Africa” with one currency and army, though political realities and state sovereignty have long hindered the dream.

The Road Ahead

While Malema’s vision electrifies Pan-African discourse, questions remain about its political feasibility. Africa is home to 54 sovereign nations with diverse political systems, languages, and economic structures. Achieving consensus on such sweeping integration would require unprecedented levels of cooperation.

Nonetheless, Malema’s fiery speech has reignited the Pan-African debate, placing unity, economic independence, and global influence back at the center of Africa’s political imagination.