A new pan-African partnership is stepping up to empower the next generation of African public servants with the tools to drive meaningful economic transformation across the continent.
Through a groundbreaking initiative called LEAD, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, in collaboration with four strategic partners—Africa CEO Forum, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)—has launched a programme that will train 50 young civil servants annually from across Africa.
Announced this week, the initiative targets high-potential young professionals in the public sector and seeks to build a strong network of visionary leaders capable of shaping sound public policy. The goal is to put effective governance at the centre of Africa’s development.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Founder of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation noted, “The human capital of Africa’s public sector is one of the continent’s most underutilized resources. Training, equipping, and empowering public sector leaders is a vital mission. Through this initiative, we are joining forces to build a high-performing, citizen-focused public service, driven by results.”
The LEAD initiative responds to a longstanding concern: despite nearly two decades of economic growth, many African countries still suffer from weak public service delivery. This deficit has limited the continent’s ability to unlock its full economic potential and improve quality of life for its 1.4 billion people.
To address this, LEAD will draw inspiration from global success stories such as Brazil’s universal healthcare and digitised public services, Indonesia’s strategic rise as a global nickel leader, and India’s Aadhaar programme which revolutionised digital financial inclusion. By learning from these models, the programme aims to promote excellence in policy thinking and execution.
Beyond training, LEAD will foster cross-border collaboration among participants to tackle pressing challenges such as industrialisation, climate change, and demographic shifts. The ambition is to ensure young African leaders are equipped to bring continental projects—like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—to life.
Founded in 2020, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is a pan-African philanthropic organisation focused on public sector transformation. Through strategic investments in leadership development, policy reform, and service innovation, the foundation works with governments and institutions to build transparent, impactful, and citizen-centred administrations.
