Ninety senior public sector officials from six African countries have commenced a six-month leadership and governance training under the second cohort of the Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector (LEAPS) programme.
The new cohort includes participants from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
The initiative, launched in Accra by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), seeks to equip African public servants with the leadership, ethical and technical skills needed to drive reforms in public financial management (PFM) systems across the continent.
The participants will undertake leadership modules focused on self-management, team leadership, institutional coordination and systemic reform.
As part of the launch, a graduation ceremony was also held for the first cohort, which comprised 15 senior officials from various PFM institutions in Ghana.
They participated in a similar six-month programme that featured digital learning, coaching and peer-to-peer exchanges with colleagues from Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Senegal and Zimbabwe.
The Director of Programmes and Impact at ACBF, Abdramane Dicko, described the event as a moment of celebration, reflection and renewal.
“When we launched the LEAPS programme a year ago, our ambition was clear: to develop a new generation of African public sector leaders capable of combining technical expertise, leadership and public service ethics.
Today, we can proudly say that this ambition is becoming a reality,” he stated.
Mr Dicko said the programme’s impact was already evident, with participants leading reforms within their institutions, improving budget transparency, mentoring colleagues and fostering collaboration across departments.
“Their journey was not simply a training programme but a transformative leadership experience in the service of the common good,” he noted.
He commended the heads of participating institutions for nominating and supporting their executives, stressing that investment in public officials was vital for the sustainable transformation of public institutions.
Mr Dicko also urged the participants to embrace collaboration, continuous learning and ethical leadership.
“Leadership is not a title but the ability to inspire and serve. Collaboration is not weakness but a sign of strength. Lasting change begins with a change in mindset,” he advised.