The Youth Leadership Competition is organised as a component of the African Leadership Forum (ALF) to provide a space for the youth of Africa and the next generation of leaders in the region to contribute to important discussions on leadership and sustainable development.

In each contest, African citizens between the age of 18 and 25 are asked to write about their perspectives on leadership as it relates to a theme tied to the ALF.  

The essays are rigorously evaluated on the basis of originality, organisation, creativity, appropriateness to contest theme and the use of language. The winners get the opportunity to participate in the ALF plenary session and receive their awards at a prize-giving ceremony – in the presence of distinguished delegates from the forum.

Since 2013, seven competitions have been organised. Thematic areas covered include: Meeting the challenges of Africa’s transformation (2014); Moving towards an integrated Africa: What needs to be done? (2015); Enabling African business to transform the continent (2016); Peace and security for an integrated, united, and sustainable Africa (2017); Financing Africa’s transformation for sustainable development (2018); Promoting good natural resource management for socio-economic transformation in Africa (2019); and Promoting intra-Africa trade to unlock agricultural potential in Africa (2023).