WANTED: A REAWAKENING IN AFRICAN PUBLIC LEADERSHIP

The World Public Service Day should serve as a reminder of our collective responsibility to make excellence in governance the rule,not an exception write AMIR BEN YAHMED,HICHAM EL HABTI,AIGBOJE AIG-IMOUKHUEDE,ABDULLAH ALMUSAIBEEH AND BENEDICT O. ORAMAH

 A few days ago, on June 23, the United Nations marked the World Public Service Day. Here in Africa, this day should stand out as far more than a ceremonial event. It is a vital opportunity for us to look ahead at the future of our public servants—women and men who, often with limited resources and in the face of significant temptations, are entrusted with safeguarding the efficiency and continuity of our states. In 2025, celebrating the African public service rings hollow unless we finally equip it with the decision-making authority, technological tools, and ethical foundations it needs to fulfill its essential role: guiding 1.4 billion citizens toward lasting prosperity.

Despite nearly two decades of robust, almost uninterrupted growth since the turn of the millennium, Africa suffers more than any other continent from a chronic shortage of public services—a deficit that severely undermines economic development and quality of life for its people. Behind this sobering reality lies a technical challenge: the quality of our public policies has failed to keep pace with the rapid social and demographic changes we face. In fact, we have fallen far behind other regions in the Global South. Countries with similar GDPs have managed to achieve remarkable transformations over the same period.

Why has Brazil succeeded in providing universal healthcare (SUS—Sistema Único de Saúde) to all its citizens while simultaneously digitalizing every government service and payment system across the country? How has Indonesia become the world leader in the nickel sector by insisting on local value addition and attracting $30 billion in industrial investment? And how has India, through its digital identity program, Aadhaar, accelerated financial inclusion and targeted the delivery of public aid—registering over 1.3 billion Indians, enabling the opening of more than 400 million bank accounts for the poorest, and saving billions in subsidy costs? These are not isolated stories. They are just a few of dozens of examples across sectors, proving that bold, well-designed regulatory, fiscal, and logistical choices can move mountains—but only if decision-makers are properly trained, empowered, and supported. That is why we have launched a pan-African initiative with a clear mission: to place sound economic governance and the excellence of public policy at the core of Africa’s development agenda, making public leadership the continent’s most critical economic infrastructure.

Each year, about 50 young senior public servants—aged 30 to 45 and representing at least 30 countries—will participate in an annual program, including a four-day immersive retreat. Our objectives are clear: to carve out time for deep reflection on Africa’s most pressing economic challenges; to adopt and adapt the world’s best public policies by studying their success factors; to build a pan-African network of technical leaders committed to a reformist economic agenda; and to drive forward major projects like the AfCFTA and tackle the demographic, climate, and industrial challenges ahead. We are convinced that this is not only possible—it is essential. Wherever public policy is effective and responsive, growth follows. This World Public Service Day must serve as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility: to make excellence in governance the rule, not the exception. Africa does not just need more projects. It needs public decision-makers with the vision, the skills, and the determination to design, finance, and sustain them. Let’s celebrate them today and give them the tools to succeed tomorrow!

 Yahmed, CEO of Jeune Afrique Media Group;  el Habti, President of UM6P; Aig-Imoukhuede, Founder of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation;  Almusaibeeh, President of the BADEA; Prof. Oramah, President of Afreximbank.