Advancing Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector: Insights from the LEAPS First Cohort examines the impact of the Leadership Excellence in Africa’s Public Sector (LEAPS) Program, implemented by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) to strengthen leadership capacity within public financial management institutions across Africa. The first cohort brought together 79 senior public officials from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Zimbabwe, representing ministries of finance, audit institutions, and other governance bodies. The report demonstrates how leadership development contributes to improved governance, institutional performance, and public sector reform implementation. Through a six-month program combining e-learning, coaching, mentoring, peer learning, technical seminars, and practical case studies, participants strengthened competencies in self-leadership, team leadership, organizational leadership, and ecosystem leadership. Evidence from country case studies shows that participants applied new leadership approaches to improve delegation, communication, stakeholder engagement, collaboration, accountability, and change management. These leadership gains contributed to stronger reform coordination in Côte d’Ivoire, enhanced accountability systems in Ghana, improved digital transformation outcomes in Kenya, more participatory and citizen-centered governance in Senegal, and strengthened reform implementation under resource constraints in Zimbabwe. The study identifies delegation, communication, empathy, senior leadership support, and Africa-centered peer learning as critical drivers of institutional change. Overall, LEAPS demonstrates that investing in leadership capacity can improve reform effectiveness, strengthen public institutions, and support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063 priorities. The report concludes with recommendations to scale the program, strengthen alumni networks, institutionalize leadership development, and sustain long-term governance improvements across Africa.