Rwanda is set to domicile the newly established African School of Governance (ASG), an initiative founded by President Paul Kagame and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Desalegn in a bid to revolutionise governance across the continent by offering world-class public policy education and research programs tailored to African realities.

This was disclosed in a statement released by the school on Sunday.

Kingsley Moghalu, an economist and Nigeria’s former Central Bank Deputy Governor, who was appointed as the school’s inaugural president is expected to lead the institution as it seeks to address pressing governance challenges in Africa.

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The New Times understands that the school’s campus will be hosted at the former Rwanda Development Board (RDB) premises in Gishushu, Kigali of which renovation works are underway to meet the school’s standards.

Highly placed sources who spoke to The New Times on condition of anonymity confirmed that renovation works are expected to end in the first quarter of 2025, with the campus opening doors in September of the same year.

The administration

Makhtar Diop, managing director of the IFC and Chair of ASG’s Board, said that Moghalu’s leadership will be instrumental in realising the ASG’s mission to offer cutting-edge academic programs, innovative research and policy engagement.

"We are excited to welcome Kingsley Moghalu as President of the African School of Governance. His sterling track record of leadership in international and national policymaking institutions and academia, as his thought leadership influence will help make ASG a transformative graduate school and develop a new generation of purpose-driven leaders with the skills and mindsets to help Africa address the challenges of the 21st Century,” Diop, said in a statement.

With a focus on empowering African leaders through education and innovation, Moghalu is also expected to play a central role in establishing ASG as a hub for intellectual growth and policy solutions on the continent.

"The establishment of ASG is a powerful expression of a clear vision on the part of the founding leaders,” Moghalu said in response to his appointment.

"I share this vision of a transformed Africa driven by competent leadership and governance, and I am honoured to have been tasked with leading ASG’s critical contribution to making that vision a reality.”

The offer

It is among others designed to foster a new generation of leaders equipped with the skills and mindsets necessary to drive sustainable development and governance reform across the continent.

The institution’s founding is a collaboration between prominent African visionaries and global partners and supported by the Mastercard Foundation as part of its Young Africa Works strategy, which aims to enable 30 million young Africans, 70 percent of whom are women, to access dignified and fulfilling work opportunities by 2030.

It also aims to combine international best practices with Africa’s unique political, social, and economic contexts.

At the campus, The New Times understands that the institution will offer five academic programs that cater to students throughout their learning journeys.

They include a core master's degree in public administration, (2 years), a full-time in-person program that can accommodate 160 students from across the continent.

Also to be offered is the executive master’s degree in public administration, (2 years), a part-time hybrid program (remote learning with periodic campus visits) open to 50 students.

General executive courses (2-3 weeks on average each), hybrid short courses open to 50 senior executives each as well as the Young Leaders Programme – YLP (6 weeks), a full-time hybrid program offered to high-potential undergraduates and recent graduates.

Others include senior leadership fellowship (6-month residency), offered to selected leaders nearing the end of their careers, who are considering how to leave a legacy on the continent.

The school plans to launch four integrated research centres at the outset, which will be aligned with inaugural leadership.

They include home-grown innovations, African history and leadership, pan-African and regional integration, as well as effective delivery and use of technology.

Its research focus areas will grow and evolve as the school reaches maturity.

Why it matters

According to the Africa School of Governance, there is an absence of a purposeful local leadership mindset, which hampers the strengthening of policy and management skills.

At the same time, the school maintained that African leaders often face challenges in effectively implementing policies, stemming from limitations in human capital and execution capabilities.

Policy decisions often lack a comprehensive and contextually relevant foundation of high-quality local facts, and at the same time the continent’s voice in global debates, especially those pertinent to the continent, is weaker than its rightful Influence.