Senior leaders of Anti-Corruption Agencies across Africa convened in Accra, Ghana, for the Senior Leadership and Management Training Programme for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies, held from 7–11 September 2026.
Convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat in partnership with the Chandler Foundation, the five-day regional programme brought together Heads, deputies and senior representatives of Anti-Corruption Agencies from Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
Strengthening Leadership for Effective Anti-Corruption Institutions
The programme provided a high-level platform for strengthening the leadership and management capabilities required to lead effective, resilient and integrity-driven Anti-Corruption Agencies. It combined leadership development with strategic management, integrity, institutional leadership and regional peer exchange.
Training focused on the practical realities facing senior anti-corruption leaders, including leadership competencies and styles, strategic planning and priority-setting, ethics and integrity, balancing prevention and enforcement, building effective partnerships, addressing corruption in the private sector, and translating institutional priorities into action.
A central theme was that leadership extends beyond position and authority. Participants examined the importance of judgement, self-awareness, adaptability and accountability, as well as the responsibility of leaders to develop people, set clear institutional direction and drive performance.
The programme also reinforced the importance of embedding integrity in organisational culture, making deliberate strategic choices and strengthening collaboration across government, the private sector, civil society and international partners. Practical scenarios and peer exchanges enabled participants to relate these principles directly to the leadership and management of their own institutions.
From Strategy to Institutional Action
A strong emphasis was placed on moving from strategy to implementation. Participants considered how Anti-Corruption Agencies can set realistic priorities, sequence interventions, strengthen accountability and ensure that institutional plans translate into practical results.
The regional format also provided an important opportunity for senior leaders to exchange experiences, examine common institutional challenges and learn from different approaches across jurisdictions. This strengthened the programme as both a leadership development intervention and a platform for regional professional exchange.
Resource persons included Dr Roger Koranteng of the Commonwealth Secretariat; Ms Leslie Tsai and Mr Tim Teasdale of the Chandler Foundation; and Professor Chris Stone of Oxford University. Mrs Rose Seretse, Chandler Anti-Corruption Practice Group Member and former Director General of Botswana's Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime, also contributed to the programme.
The programme reaffirmed the importance of capable leadership, strong institutions, integrity and strategic collaboration in advancing the effectiveness of Anti-Corruption Agencies. It further strengthened regional engagement among senior anti-corruption leaders and provided practical leadership approaches those participants could take forward within their respective institutions.
