Pan-African social enterprise LEAP Africa has successfully concluded the physical boot camp for the fifth cohort of its flagship Leadership Accelerator Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. Designed to bridge the gender leadership deficit across the continent, the initiative attracted over 4,500 applicants from 48 African nations and 12 international countries, with more than 1,500 women successfully completing the initial virtual learning phase.
Following the competitive online phase, 31 emerging women leaders and entrepreneurs from Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda, Mauritius, Kenya, Zambia, Cameroon, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and Malawi were selected for the intensive residency in Nairobi.
Key highlights of the programme included:
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Core Curricula Tracks: Interactive modules covering transformational leadership, personal branding, executive presence, financial intelligence, risk management, and strategic male allyship.
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Pan-African Expansion: Marking the programme’s first physical boot camp hosted in Nairobi, reflecting LEAP Africa’s commitment to building a cross-border leadership network.
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Ecosystem Building: Practical case study presentations, peer mentorship, and networking sessions led by established African female executives and industry facilitators.
Executive Director of LEAP Africa, Kehinde Ayeni, alongside Director of Programmes and Partnerships, Amabelle Nwakanma, emphasized that providing targeted capacity building, access to networks, and structural support systems is essential to positioning young African women to influence policy, drive economic transformation, and lead across critical sectors.
