Since its launch, the Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector (LEAPS) programme has enrolled over 295 participants from eight African countries. This initiative, established by the ACBF and the Gates Foundation, marks a new focus on human leadership as the key to unlocking economic growth. African public sectors have long prioritized technical expertise and sound policies, yet sustainable reforms consistently falter due to an inability to lead change and build trust. Early evidence from LEAPS suggests that prioritizing leadership development can significantly accelerate public sector transformation and economic growth across the continent.
A New Approach to Public Sector Reform
Established by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the Gates Foundation, LEAPS was initially piloted in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe, The Gambia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, according to KBC Digital. It later expanded to include the African Union Commission and Ethiopia. The program's broad participation across eight African countries, as reported by THISDAYLIVE, shows a continent-wide commitment to leadership development.
How LEAPS Builds Leadership Capacity
LEAPS integrates leadership learning with self-assessment, coaching, peer learning, and case-based application to real public financial management (PFM) challenges, as reported by THISDAYLIVE. It addresses specific issues like digital finance in Kenya and tax reform in Ghana, according to Bantu Gazette. This practical methodology ensures leadership skills translate directly into tangible governance improvements.
Why Leadership, Not Just Expertise, Matters
Public sector reform often falters not from a lack of good ideas, but from an inability to lead change—to unite people, build trust, overcome resistance, and sustain momentum, KBC Digital stated. Technical expertise, sound policies, and institutional systems alone prove insufficient for sustainable reforms in Africa, according to THISDAYLIVE. Africa's public-sector transformation hinges on effective leaders, not merely technical experts, Bantu Gazette reported. This collective evidence reveals a critical misdirection in traditional development, confirming that adaptive leadership, not just technical skill, is the true bottleneck for progress.
Early Impact and Future Outlook
Early evidence from LEAPS alumni indicates participants have translated leadership learning into stronger decision-making and better coordination, KBC Digital reported. If this trend continues, prioritizing 'soft' leadership skills over solely 'hard' technical training appears likely to unlock sustainable public financial management reforms across Africa, accelerating broader economic growth, according to THISDAYLIVE and Bantu Gazette.
