Building Effective Leadership Style to Enhance Growth and Development in sub-Saharan Africa

Building Effective Leadership Style to Enhance Growth and Development in sub-Saharan Africa

Solomon Kpandei | 2023

Abstract

Africa is considered as one of the richest continents of the word because of the prevalence of large deposits of mineral resources in Africa; combined with the land presupposes that the continent was destined to be an economic giant playing leading role in global affairs. The irony is that most of the poorest countries in the world are countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The question that begs for an answer is why Africa has remained underdeveloped despite the huge human and material resources at its disposal. The absence of development and the spread of poverty stares any visitor in the face in most cities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Various scholars have argued that the failure of leadership by Africa’s ruling class is the major cause of the continent’s lag in development. The study set out to explore the connection between bad leadership and underdevelopment challenges faced on the African continent and to propose a solution to problem.

Review of several scholarly articles forms a secondary source of data, while a survey using questionnaire provides primary data on 10 leaders and their primary leadership styles which can serves as a sample for leadership practices in sub Saharan Africa. The outcome reveals a prevalence of transactional and passive avoidant leadership style among the leaders surveyed.

This research recommends the development of transformational leadership culture as an ethical intervention to solve these challenges that have kept sub-Saharan Africa from achieving her development potential. It equally identifies the role of global consultants, and recommend their involvement in birthing new leadership culture and system in Africa,

Keywords: Leadership; Development; Culture