2026 Youth Leadership Summit attracts its most geographically diverse applicant pool to date

Two hundred of the continent's brightest young professionals are poised to take their seats at the upcoming 2026 Youth Leadership Summit this Youth Month, a joint initiative between Henley Business School Africa and the Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation.

Now in its fourth year, the Youth Leadership Summit brings together young people from diverse backgrounds to engage directly with senior leaders from business, government and civil society. The programme focuses on practical leadership, ethical decision-making and the challenges facing the next generation of African leaders.

Securing a spot at the annual summit is highly competitive. This year, 885 young professionals threw their hat into the ring, reflecting the diversity, ambition and potential of young people across the continent. Applications came from 13 African countries – the widest geographic reach in the summit’s history – and a wide range of educational, professional and community backgrounds. All were united by a desire to develop their leadership capabilities, contribute to their communities and help shape Africa's future.

This year's theme, "Honouring the Past, Engineering the Future," commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising. The speaker line-up includes some of South Africa's most influential leaders, among them South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago, Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking CEO Luvuyo Masinda, Eskom CEO Dan Marokane, Lereko Investments CEO Dr Lulu Gwagwa, Cisco Africa Senior Director Charmaine Houvet and Barloworld CEO Dominic Sewela.

Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director of Henley Business School Africa, who will also be a speaker at the event, said the breadth and quality of applications highlighted the remarkable talent and determination of young people across Africa, who are already taking initiative in their communities, pursuing ambitious goals and looking for ways to create positive change.

‘Talent is evident across the continent, but access to executive networks is uneven,’ he said. ‘Putting these young people into direct contact with leaders who have built organisations, led through uncertainty and shaped industries helps to demystify leadership and expand what they believe is possible for themselves.’

‘One of the greatest barriers facing many young people remains access to opportunities and networks that can help them realise their potential and it is this that the summit seeks to dismantle.’

Commenting on four years of successful execution of the summit, Lincoln Mali, Founder of the Lincoln Mali Leadership Foundation and CEO of Lesaka Technologies, said: ‘As we mark this historic Jubilee of Youth Month, we are reminded that leadership is never a solo journey; it is a relay. We aren't just hosting a conference; we are facilitating a high-stakes baton exchange. My goal is to place our youth in the same room as the titans of industry, not merely to listen, but to be challenged and mentored by those who have navigated the complexities of global business.’

‘We owe it to the legacy of 1976 to ensure that today's young leaders are equipped with more than just ambition; they must possess the character, the network, and the 'lifting as we climb' mindset necessary to build a South Africa that thrives for the next 50 years.’