The African Leadership Council (ALC) has officially announced the appointment of Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin as its Country Chair for Sierra Leone.

As a platform dedicated to fostering visionary leadership, economic progress, and regional collaboration, the ALC continues to unite distinguished leaders shaping Africa’s future. With a distinguished track record and deep commitment to excellence, Dr. Gilpin is poised to play a key role in advancing the Council’s mission in Sierra Leone empowering leaders, strengthening institutions, and promoting sustainable development.

His appointment marks a strategic milestone in the Council’s efforts to expand its footprint across Africa, underscoring its dedication to transformative leadership and high-impact initiatives. The Council anticipates that Dr. Gilpin’s contributions will significantly enrich both its work and the broader African leadership ecosystem.

Meanwhile, the Council is preparing for its flagship event—the Africa Summit London 2025, scheduled for July 9–10 at the House of Lords, United Kingdom.

The summit is expected to convene an influential group of participants, including Heads of State, policymakers, business leaders, diplomats, civil society innovators, and global thought leaders. This premier gathering will serve as a catalyst for strategic partnerships and meaningful dialogue on critical socio-economic and environmental challenges, while spotlighting groundbreaking projects designed to drive scalable, continent-wide development.

Dr. Gilpin, a long-time advocate for economic transformation in Africa, emphasizes the need for countries across the continent to prioritize value addition in their export sectors. He has cautioned that Africa’s continued presence at the lower tiers of global value chains limits the continent’s potential to fully capitalize on its natural wealth.

He has also called for deeper South–South cooperation to demystify and de-risk African products, and champions the strengthening of artificial intelligence and digital platforms. Dr. Gilpin advocates for maximizing the use of Africa’s abundant raw materials and arable land, with the goal of moving further up the global value chain.

As Africa stands on the brink of a fintech revolution fueled by AI, cloud computing, USSD innovations, and generative technologies Dr. Gilpin envisions a powerful awakening. He boldly champions the vision of an Africa that is not merely a participant in the global economy, but a driving force at its core.

While he has been honored with Sierra Leone’s prestigious Order of Rokel (COR), perhaps Dr. Gilpin’s greatest achievement lies in the lives his work has touched: women-led businesses gaining traction, rural entrepreneurs entering the financial mainstream, and a new generation of bankers daring to dream.

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