Join Africa’s Elite Leadership Community

Africa Centre for Public Leadership – ACPL  is a professional leadership and standards-based community under the FLED International Leadership Institute, committed to advancing ethical, competent, and service-driven leadership across Africa and beyond.

Purpose: to build a community of public leaders and resource persons.

Induction/Investitute into ACPL 

ACPL admits Members and Fellows through a structured induction process designed to ensure alignment with professional standards, leadership maturity, and the values of the Fledism Leadership Philosophy.

Who Should Apply

Applications are invited from:

  • Mid-career and senior professionals
  • Public servants and policy practitioners
  • Executives, administrators, and governance leaders
  • Individuals committed to ethical leadership and continuous professional development

Induction Process

  1. Submission of application
  2. Preliminary screening and eligibility review
  3. Issuance of conditional offer (where applicable)
  4. Pre-induction Orientaion
  5. Formal induction ceremony

Fees and Financial Obligations

ACPL operates as a professional, non-commercial leadership body.

Applicable induction and annual membership fees are communicated only to applicants who successfully pass the preliminary screening stage.

This ensures that membership is guided by standards, suitability, and leadership commitment, not transactional considerations. 

L-R: Amb. Alfred Nnam,hfpl, Uganda Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria; Dr. Ike Neliaku, hfpl, President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations; and Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Etolue, hpfl, former Commissioner, Federal Civil Service Commission, after ACPL Induction in Abuja on November 12, 2024.

Why Join ACPL?

What ACPL Membership Represents

Membership of ACPL is earned through standards, formation, and accountability—not purchased through fees or titles.

Admission into ACPL signifies that a Member or Fellow has:

  • Undergone professional screening
  • Completed structured leadership orientation
  • Formally aligned with ACPL’s ethical and governance standards
  • Accepted ongoing professional and disciplinary obligations

ACPL recognition reflects credibility, seriousness, and responsibility in leadership.

Core Benefits of ACPL Membership

Credible Professional Recognition

ACPL membership signals alignment with:

  • High ethical standards
  • Disciplined leadership conduct
  • Public-interest responsibility

This recognition is respected because it is standards-based, not ceremonial.

Leadership Formation Grounded in Fledism

Members benefit from leadership development rooted in the Fledism Leadership Philosophy, which emphasizes:

  • Character and judgment over charisma
  • Responsibility over visibility
  • Institutional thinking over personal ambition

ACPL explicitly rejects performative credentialism and symbolic leadership.

Mandatory Continuing Professional Leadership Development (MCPLD)

All members participate in structured annual leadership development, including:

  • Governance and policy learning
  • Ethics and accountability refreshers
  • Leadership practice updates relevant to African realities

MCPLD ensures members remain current, reflective, and competent.

Ethical Community and Peer Accountability

ACPL is a community of:

  • Serious professionals
  • Leaders accountable to shared standards
  • Individuals committed to ethical conduct in public and institutional life

It is not a social club or influence network.

Access to Leadership and Governance Resources

Members gain access to:

  • Policy briefs and leadership notes
  • Governance tools and frameworks
  • Research and publications from FLED International Leadership Institute

All resources are tailored to African governance contexts.

Eligibility for Institutional Service and Leadership Roles

Qualified members and fellows may be considered for:

  • ACPL Professional Standards Council and committees
  • Mentorship, facilitation, and advisory roles
  • Policy dialogues and leadership initiatives
  • Faculty Members at FLED Institute

These opportunities are by merit and service, not entitlement.

Professional Discipline and Reputational Protection

ACPL maintains:

  • A formal Code of Conduct
  • Clear disciplinary procedures
  • Due process for ethical and professional matters

This protects both the institution and the reputation of compliant members.

Clear Distinction Between Membership and Fellowship

  • Members join a structured professional leadership community
  • Fellows are recognised for sustained leadership maturity, contribution, and service

Fellowship is responsibility-weighted, not merely given out.

Grounded in African Governance Realities

ACPL leadership formation reflects:

  • African public service ethics
  • Institutional capacity challenges
  • Context-specific leadership demands

Members are formed to lead where they are, not in abstract settings.

Long-Term Institutional Belonging

ACPL membership offers:

  • Career-long relevance
  • Cross-sector applicability (public, private, civic)
  • Enduring professional identity beyond individual ambition

ACPL builds leaders who think institutionally and long-term.

L-T: Ms. Adebunmi Ayeni, ppl; Engr. Bolly Avong, afpl; Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Etolue, hfpl; Dr. Ike Neliaku, hfpl; Prof Joseph Ibekwe; Amb. Alfred Nnam, hfpl; and Maj Prof Aku Amboson, (rtd), hfpl, after our Membership induction in Abuja on November 12. 2024

NEXT INDUCTION/INVESTITURE:

March 26, 2026

Types of Membership   

Individual  and Institutional 

Membership Categories:

  • Member
  • Fellow (by qualification, experience, and contribution)

Admission into any category is standards-based and subject to review.

Application Processing Fee:
All applicants are required to pay a non-refundable application processing fee to support administrative review and professional assessment.

The application fee does not guarantee admission and is separate from induction or membership fees, which are communicated only to successful applicants.

ACPL APPLICATION FEE 

MEMBER : N5,000/$5
FELLOW: N10, 000/$10
NOTE: Application does not mean automatiC qualification for admission

MEMBERS

Student Member (spl) – Must be an undergraduate student in any tertiary institution in Africa or elsewhere. 

Associate Member  (apl) –  Must be working in the private or public sector with a minimum of a Diploma and not less than 5 years of full-time employment. 

Professional Member (ppl) – Must be working in the private or public sector, and possess a minimum of a first degree/HND, with no less than 10 years of work experience as entrepreneurs or public servants.   

FELLOWS

Associate Fellow (afpl)– Must be a senior officer working in the private or public sector. You must possess a minimum of a Master’s Degree with no less than 15 years of work experience. 

Fellow (fpl)– for Senior leader-managers in private or public service, including individauls that have made significant leadership impact. In addtion, the person must possess a minimum of a Master’s Degree with no less than 25 years of continuous work experience. A Ph.D is an advantage, but not compulsory. 

Organization Membership

Gold – Diamond – Platinum (Membership Benefits are communicated to each organization after review).

Who Should Apply?

ACPL is suited for individuals who seek:

  • Ethical clarity
  • Leadership discipline
  • Credible professional standing
  • A serious community of practice

It is not suited for those seeking titles, visibility, or quick recognition.

Begin Your Induction Journey

Prospective Members and Fellows must complete a structured induction process, including a mandatory Pre-Induction Orientation Course.

Apply Now to Begin the Process. Click here!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD DETAILED FEE STRUCTURE

Nominate Someone for Honorary Fellow

You could nominate a qualified public leader for Induction as an Honorary Fellow in public leadership.  click here

Public Leadership is for those with a public service mindset

Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 Presidential elections inducted as Honourary Fellow, hfpl at ACPL by Prof Joseph Ibekwe, flanked by Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator representing the Federal Capital territory.
Dr. Sam Amadi, Director, Abuja School of Social & Political Thoughts, displays his Honourary Fellowship Award from ACPL

Former Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, holding his Honourary Fellowship Award, when it was presented to him at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja in November 2019.

Pst. Dr. John Dara, two-term Presidential Contestant in 2011 & 2019 Presidential Elections, displays his Honourary Fellowship Award from ACPL.

About ACPL

Africa Centre for Public Leadership and Fled Institute are members of Fled Group Africa

Read More About our Members 

To read profiles of our previous inductees, please click here

For inquiries, contact

The Director,

ACPL Nigeria Office

Plot MF 57 Cadastral Zone

KMC Street, Karu Site

Abuja – Nigeria

Tel:+234-806 815 3116

WhatsApp: +234-708 015 7176

Email: induction@flededu.org

… Transformational public leaders