In this article, the authors present and engage with the conceptual and theoretical underpinning of leadership education and leadership development in Africa. Specifically, leadership education programs which are focusing on nurturing a new generation of leaders, adept at navigating the complexities of a globalized world, while remaining deeply rooted in their national and local heritage. They locate African leadership theory and praxis in the context of change, and examine how the International Leadership Association (ILA) General Principles for Leadership Programs (2021) provides an organizing framework for the redesigned Executive MBA program at the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda.