A groundbreaking initiative aims to address one of Africa’s most persistent challenges: transforming the quality of public governance to match the continent’s remarkable economic potential. The Africa CEO Forum, together with four leading strategic partners – Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) –announced the launch of LEAD, a pan-African program designed to groom a new generation of public policy leaders who can drive sustainable economic transformation across the continent.

The initiative is a response to a striking paradox facing Africa’s development trajectory over the past two decades. Despite experiencing nearly uninterrupted economic growth, the continent’s 1.4 billion citizens continue to face significant gaps in public service delivery that constrain both economic development and quality of life. While Africa’s GDP has expanded consistently, the translation of that growth into improved governance and citizen welfare has lagged behind other regions with comparable economic profiles.