Afrobarometer-African Leadership (AL) for Governance Network partnership trains 45 emerging African public leaders in data literacy

 

Afrobarometer (http://Afrobarometer.org), in partnership with the African Leadership (AL) for Governance Network, concluded the 2026 Governance Sector Challenge in March, an eight-week immersive policy research and innovation programme designed to equip young African leaders with the skills to develop data-driven solutions to Africa’s most pressing governance challenges. 

Under the theme “Building public trust in institutions for better governance,” the 2026 sector challenge brought together 45 emerging public leaders to explore the drivers of institutional trust across the continent and co-create evidence-based policy recommendations that strengthen leadership accountability, institutional legitimacy, and the social contract between citizens and the state. 

The training programme provided a rare opportunity for participants from 14 countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), many of whom had never used Afrobarometer data previously, to work in interdisciplinary teams to build foundational skills in accessing, interpreting, and analysing public-attitude data.

Participants engaged with expert mentors from the Afrobarometer network, learning how to design practical, context-sensitive policy proposals aimed at rebuilding trust in public institutions. The programme combined hands-on research, targeted coaching, workshops, and competitive pitching sessions. Outstanding policy briefs will be published in the AL for Governance Journal, amplifying youth-driven perspectives on governance reform.

“This partnership with AL for Governance reflects our shared commitment to building a new generation of African leaders who use data to drive change,” said Dominique Dryding, Afrobarometer’s capacity building manager (basic track).

“We celebrate the incredible work of participants who have transformed ideas into impactful policy briefs, and we look forward to seeing how they take Afrobarometer’s work forward.”

Lesego Otlhabanye, AL for Governance programme manager, highlighted the value of the training for promoting evidence-based policy advocacy grounded in citizen experiences: “This challenge represents a critical opportunity for young African leaders to translate data into meaningful policy action.”

“By equipping participants with Afrobarometer’s robust governance data and connecting them with experienced mentors, we’ve enabled the next generation to tackle one of Africa’s most pressing challenges by rebuilding trust between citizens and their institutions. The evidence-based solutions that have emerged from this programme have the potential to reshape how governments engage with and serve their communities.” 

The training programme forms part of Afrobarometer’s commitment to placing young leaders at the centre of policy innovation by strengthening data literacy, promoting empirical decision making, and expanding the pool of practitioners who can responsibly use public-attitude data to help improve democratic governance on the continent.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.

For more information, please contact:
Asafika
Communications coordinator for Southern Africa
Telephone: +27 83 979 8299 
Email: ampako@afrobarometer.org 

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About Afrobarometer:
Afrobarometer (AB) is a trusted source of high-quality data and analysis on what Africans are thinking. With an unmatched track record of 450,000+ interviews in 45 countries, representing the views of more than 75% of the African population, AB is leading the charge to bridge the continent’s data gap. AB data inform many global indices, such as the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer, and the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators. The data are also used for country risk analyses and by credit rating and forecasting agencies such as the Economist Intelligence Unit. All AB data sets are publicly available on the website (http://apo-opa.co/4bJbzXF) and may be analysed free of charge using AB’s online data analysis tool (https://apo-opa.co/3NDS3m9)

Visit us online at: ​www.Afrobarometer.org 

About AL for Governance:
Founded in 2019, AL for Governance is a pan-African network of over 400 impact-driven leaders committed to ethical leadership, effective public institutions, and inclusive governance. Through mentorship, peer learning, and strategic partnerships, the network supports young Africans to pursue meaningful careers in public service and governance reform.  

Visit us online at: AL for Governance (http://apo-opa.co/4uSmju6)

About Efrusy Family Foundation: 
The Efrusy Family Foundation is the proud sponsor of the AL for Governance Journal (https://apo-opa.co/47wM8WC), enabling the continued publication of this annual platform for youth-led thought leadership across the continent. Through this partnership, the foundation is investing in the amplification of emerging African voices, advancing evidence-based insights, and fostering dialogue on critical governance challenges. Its support underscores a shared commitment to strengthening inclusive, responsive, and forward-looking governance systems in Africa.