Senior executives and managers have been challenged to look beyond short-term organisational goals and focus on building institutions that can withstand leadership changes, economic pressures and an increasingly complex operating environment.
The call came as the 2026 Executive and Strategic Leadership Programme (ESLP), organised by the Nkafu Policy Institute, ended in Yaoundé on Wednesday, 9 September.
About 20 executives and senior managers from public, private and civil society organisations took part in the two-day residential programme, which focused on leadership, organisational effectiveness, strategic partnerships and institutional sustainability.
The programme was designed against the backdrop of economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, resource constraints and other pressures confronting organisations across Africa.
Dr Julienne Mesumbe, Deputy Director of the Nkafu Policy Institute, said the sessions enabled participants to examine both internal and external factors that influence organisational performance.
“These have been two exceptional days,” she said. “We are leaving today really satisfied because we’ve been able to equip participants with tools and strategies for addressing leadership challenges.”
One of the key lessons, she said, was that some problems leaders regard as structural may actually be adaptive challenges that require changes in attitudes, behaviour and leadership approaches.
The programme brought together participants at different levels of responsibility, from middle managers to chief executives and organisation owners. Mesumbe said the exchange of experiences among participants was as valuable as the lessons provided by facilitators.
She said the broader objective was to help leaders build effective and sustainable teams while encouraging them to become agents of change within their organisations.
Mesumbe also identified trust and integrity as critical to building organisations that can thrive over time.
“Trust and integrity in a leader are really one of the key aspects for a successful and sustainable organisation,” she said.
For Esther Omam of Reach Out Cameroon, another facilitator, effective leadership also requires knowing when and why to seek partnerships.
She encouraged participants to assess their organisations’ strengths, weaknesses and needs before entering into collaborations, warning against partnerships formed simply because an organisation is experiencing difficulties.
“You cannot engage in or go for a partnership or collaboration when you do not know what the problem is,” Omam said.
She urged executives to become “bridge builders” capable of bringing organisations and stakeholders together around common objectives.
Successful partnerships, she said, depend on shared values, clearly defined responsibilities, effective decision-making structures and mechanisms for resolving conflicts.
For Aleatanu Noela, coordinator at Lead Child Africa, the programme offered important lessons on how organisations can balance ambition with the structures needed to achieve their objectives.
She said leaders must develop sound policies and systems while remaining connected to the communities their organisations serve.
The discussions therefore encouraged participants to move beyond project-by-project thinking and consider how values, institutional systems and strategic partnerships can help organisations remain effective even when leadership changes or circumstances shift.
Modeste Gatcho, another participant, said African institutions needed to place greater emphasis on values and encourage leaders to remain humble, ethical and adaptable.
He expressed appreciation to the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation and the Nkafu Policy Institute for creating a platform for executives to exchange experiences and reflect on the future of their organisations.
The ESLP draws on the Nkafu Policy Institute’s 14 years of experience working with public, private and civil society organisations in Central Africa and beyond.
The Nkafu Policy Institute, a think tank of the Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation, conducts research and develops policy recommendations on areas including governance and democracy, health and education, peace and security, science and technology, and economic policy.
The Foretia Foundation focuses on promoting Africa’s economic transformation through social entrepreneurship, science and technology innovation, public health and policies aimed at expanding economic opportunities.
