Kwame Nkrumah argued that political unification must precede economic integration to ensure Africa’s sovereignty and collective strength, believing that a unified political structure would protect the continent from external exploitation and enable coordinated policies, resources, and defense. Central to this vision was his concept of the African Personality, which emphasized pride in African heritage, unity, and self-reliance as essential for improving the well-being of the people. He saw political unity as essential for building a strong, self-reliant economic bloc. However, some opponents view this approach as overly idealistic and impractical, advocating instead for economic cooperation first. They believe that gradual economic collaboration will foster mutual benefits and stronger ties without the need for centralized political authority.

Cooperative economic models, such as worker-owned enterprises, are businesses that are collectively owned and governed by their workers. In this model, employees have an ownership stake in the enterprise, meaning they participate in decision-making processes and share in the profits. By contrast, in corporate capitalism ownership and decision-making are in the hands of shareholders and executives