2010

The beginning of a vision.

The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) was formally established and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Born out of decades of development sector experience, the Centre was founded to address Africa’s persistent challenges of leadership failure, ineffective strategies, and poor development models. This year marked the laying of the organizational foundation — staff recruitment, structural systems, and the articulation of a bold mission.

2011

Strengthening the base.

Centre LSD moved from vision to action, implementing its first projects with support from partners like CIDA and PACT. These included community-led sanitation initiatives and interventions aimed at enhancing citizens’ participation in public budgeting. It was also the year that the Centre began to assert itself in governance-focused advocacy spaces.

2012

Expanding reach, deepening influence.

With growing credibility, the Centre executed strategic programs including a comprehensive police human rights curriculum reform. Its work in Bayelsa State on budget transparency empowered citizens and local CSOs to better engage the governance process, demonstrating Centre LSD’s growing relevance in accountability-focused programming.

2013

Strategic shift and Youth Leadership Development.

In a defining year of strategic repositioning, Centre LSD facilitated the retreat that birthed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Strategic Plan. It also launched a major leadership capacity-building program for young people in the Niger Delta, affirming its commitment to raising the next generation of African changemakers.

2014

Building institutions and partnerships.

This year marked deeper institutionalization. Centre LSD partnered with USAID and Catholic Relief Services to implement the Feed the Future initiative. This improved agricultural productivity and food security in target communities, while internal systems and donor compliance processes within the Centre matured significantly.

2015

Driving democratic engagement.

With the 2015 general elections underway, Centre LSD led major voter education and civic mobilization efforts in the South-South region. It also pushed advocacy around budget tracking, procurement monitoring, and transparency in governance. The groundwork for what would become its Open Government Partnership (OGP) advocacy was set in motion.

2016

Natural Resource Governance Takes Center Stage.

Centre LSD became a core national voice in Nigeria’s extractive governance space. It launched the #DoMiningRight campaign and joined the Mining Implementation Strategy Team (MIST). These efforts sought to align mining practices with the Nigeria Mining Roadmap and the Africa Mining Vision, advocating for transparency, equity, and sustainability in natural resource management.

2017

Growth across pillars.

With support from UNICEF, Christian Aid, and others, Centre LSD implemented gender justice programs, school governance interventions in northern Nigeria, and civic engagement projects focused on natural resources. This year saw the Centre balancing its leadership, strategy, and development pillars with precision and growing national recognition.

2018

Leading in gender and climate justice.

Centre LSD scaled up its gender programming through the Side-by-Side faith movement for gender justice and reinforced environmental advocacy through Cordaid-supported climate action projects in the Niger Delta. Traditional leaders and faith actors became key allies in its efforts to end harmful practices and promote inclusive governance.

2019

Scaling advocacy and organizational development.

Centre LSD expanded its leadership schools to new cities and strengthened collaborations in electoral reform and governance. It played a pivotal role in deepening civic awareness and pushing back against shrinking civic space through national campaigns and civil society coalitions.

2020

Navigating crisis, advancing mission.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Centre LSD innovated rapidly — delivering sanitation and hygiene interventions, radio programs, and remote training for CSOs. Its advocacy on National Assembly reforms and gender justice continued, reinforcing its adaptability and relevance in volatile times.

2021

Building civic power and local capacity.

Centre LSD launched the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) initiative in partnership with Palladium and USAID. It also enhanced CSO capacity nationwide through training in governance, strategy, and resource mobilization — further solidifying its role as a go-to institution for organizational development.

2022

Internal strength and program resilience.

This was a year of introspection and institutional strengthening. Centre LSD focused on upskilling staff, enhancing its internal systems, and reinforcing its ability to operate in complex, shifting environments. With 12 years behind it, the Centre embraced resilience as a theme and practice.

2023

Repositioning for the Future.

Centre LSD concluded its second strategic plan and crafted its third (2024–2028), reinforcing its Theory of Change and sharpening its unique strengths. Its work in gender justice, natural resource governance, and leadership programming expanded significantly, and the Centre reaffirmed its identity as a continental thought leader.