Nigeria, Aug. 3 -- Credit ratings have become a dominant factor in shaping the global perception of Africa's economic health and investment climate. But what exactly are these ratings? Who defines them? And more importantly, do they truly reflect the realities, complexities, and aspirations of Africa, or are they merely external lenses shaped by distant observers? We have to understand that credit ratings are not just statistical judgments, they are narratives, opinions, and reflections shaped outside Africa, often failing to align with our on-the-ground potential and realities.

Africa has been viewed through an external telescope for too long: distant, misunderstood, and undervalued. Credit ratings, issued by global agencies like Moody'...