About the Institute
Shaping Africa's Next Generation of Leaders
Founded in February 2007 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, AILDS has grown from a single rented apartment to a multi-campus institution committed to developing transformational leaders, competent professionals, and change-makers across Africa.
Our Story
From a Rented Apartment to a Growing Institution
The African Institute for Leadership and Development Studies traces its humble beginnings to February 2007, when it was founded by Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey and Mrs. Nancy Harvey in a modest rented apartment at Portee, Kissy, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
What began as a bold vision to provide quality leadership education, professional development, and capacity-building opportunities has evolved into one of the region's most promising institutions. Today, AILDS operates from its Headquarters and Main Campus at 9 Dumbuya Drive, Hastings Village, with an additional city campus at 4B Nylander Street, Aberdeen, Freetown.
AILDS offers programmes in Leadership, Business Administration, Public Administration, Development Studies, Accounting and Finance, Hospitality and Tourism Management, ICT, Artificial Intelligence, Project Management, Entrepreneurship, and other strategic disciplines. The Institute also promotes professional excellence through its membership grades of Associate (AILDS), Member (MILDS), and Fellow (FILDS).
What Drives Us
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
To develop transformative leaders who are rooted in African values, equipped with global perspectives, and committed to the sustainable development of their communities and the continent.
Our Vision
A continent led by principled, innovative, and community-centred leaders who harness Africa's full potential to build prosperous, just, and resilient societies for generations to come.
What We Stand For
The Values That Guide Every Decision
Integrity
We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards in scholarship, leadership, and community engagement.
Excellence
Rigorous academic standards and a relentless pursuit of quality define everything we do.
Pan-African Identity
Rooted in the richness of African heritage, we cultivate leaders who honour and advance the continent.
Innovation
We challenge convention and embrace creative thinking to solve Africa's most pressing challenges.
Community
Leadership is relational. We build networks of trust, solidarity, and mutual accountability.
Scholarship
Evidence-based inquiry and intellectual rigour underpin every programme and research initiative.
The People Behind the Mission
Our Leadership Team
Dr. Albert Harrison Harvey, PhD
Founder & President
An accomplished academic, development strategist, public sector leader, management consultant, and entrepreneur with over two decades of experience. Dr. Harvey holds a PhD and M.Phil. in Accounting and Finance, an MPA, and a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance. He is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Public Finance Accountant (CPFA), and Project Management Professional (PMP). He also serves as Deputy Managing Director of the Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO).
Mrs. Nancy Harvey
Co-Founder
Co-founder of AILDS, Mrs. Harvey has been instrumental in shaping the Institute's culture of excellence, innovation, and service since its founding in Freetown, Sierra Leone in February 2007.
Mr. Kwame Asante
Head of Programmes
Overseeing curriculum design and programme delivery across the Institute's growing portfolio of Certificate, Diploma, and Executive Education offerings.
Dr. Ngozi Okafor
Director of Research
Leading the Institute's research agenda with a focus on governance, policy, and transformative leadership models relevant to African development.
Trusted by leading institutions across Africa and beyond
Alumni Voices
What Our Alumni Say
The Institute gave me more than a qualification — it gave me a framework for leading with integrity and a network of peers who hold me accountable to that standard every day.
Aisha Mensah
Director of Policy, Ministry of Finance, Ghana
Class of 2012
I came in as a manager and left as a leader. The curriculum challenged every assumption I had about power, service, and what it truly means to develop people.
Emmanuel Nkosi
CEO, Nkosi Foundation, South Africa
Class of 2016
AILDS connected me with a continent-wide community of changemakers. The relationships I built here have shaped every major decision in my career since.
Dr. Halima Yusuf
Senior Advisor, African Union Commission
Class of 2009
Take the Next Step
Join Our Community of Leaders
Whether you are a prospective student, a researcher, or an institution seeking partnership — there is a place for you in our growing network of African changemakers.