Ubuntu ethical leadership in the African public sector: conceptual proposals

The pursuit of renaissance and pan-African ideals in Africa has been significantly hindered by an “ethical leadership deficit”, alongside fragile states, colonial legacies, and the pressures of global capitalism (Daudu and Asuelime, 2019). Economically, socially, and politically, Africa remains marginalised and weak in many areas and has seen limited development (Gumede, 2017). Despite the continent’s abundant resources, ethical concerns about African leadership highlight the failure to provide the leadership needed for meaningful progress (Tettey, 2012). Scholars argued that leadership weaknesses are a key factor in Africa’s poor economic performance (Kuada, 2010). Unethical leadership and lack of accountability obstruct service delivery and demotivate efforts to address national challenges (Sebola et al., 2024). Additionally, unethical practices lead to resource mismanagement and declining responsible governance (Mbandlwa, 2020).

The leadership struggles in Africa are fuelled by a moral governance crisis marked by corruption, nepotism, and scandals that erode public trust (Meylahn and Musiyambiri, 2017). Issues like poverty, unemployment, inequality, and human rights abuses persist, while weak democracy and poor governance hinder progress (Aliye, 2020). Corruption, often routine in securing contracts and outcomes, and nepotism further undermine institutional integrity (Eyong, 2019). Studies suggested that African leaders are ineffective and fail to protect citizens and address governance challenges like electoral fraud (Lerutla and Steyn, 2021). Reports from Afrobarometer (2024) and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation (2024) indicated declining satisfaction with governance across Africa.

Ineffective leadership in Africa’s public service contributes to corruption, unethical behaviour, abuse of power, and poor governance, which hinders effective public administration (Msila, 2022). Public sectors often fail to deliver services and promote citizen welfare due to unethical leadership practices, such as officials misappropriating resources, worsening poverty and inequality (Shava and Mazenda, 2021). The inefficiency and poor service delivery in African public sectors underscore the need for transformative leadership to improve systems and citizen outcomes (Ojogiwa, 2021). Ethical leadership is essential for fostering trust, accountability, and effective governance to address the socio-political complexities of the continent and enable public sectors to meet developmental goals (Story et al., 2022).

African ethical leadership challenges are partly due to the limitations of Western leadership theories (Inyang, 2009) and the lingering effects of colonialism (Wanasika et al., 2011). Leadership in Africa has deviated from Ubuntu’s communitarian values and have become self-serving and dictatorial, resulting in injustice, corruption, and economic decline (Meylahn and Musiyambiri, 2017). Western-centric discussions often overlook cultural diversity, which leads African leaders to apply these models without adapting them to local contexts, resulting in ineffective leadership (Aliye, 2020). Many African leaders regress to pre-training behaviours after leadership programmes, which highlights the flaws in Western-based training (Kuada, 2010). Leadership research typically focuses on aiding Western leaders in African contexts rather than empowering African leaders to create context-specific models (Bolden and Kirk, 2009). Effective African leadership requires a moral foundation rooted in the communitarian context and not in external ethical standards (Adewale, 2020).

The author does not seek to disregard Western leadership theory but rather to position African leadership, particularly Ubuntu leadership, as an equally significant paradigm. Ubuntu leadership shares key attributes with some Western theories. For example, the behavioural leadership approach, which emphasises leader behaviours that inspire and motivate rather than control, aligns with Ubuntu’s focus on stakeholder well-being and community building (Black et al., 2011; Chetty and Price, 2024). Similarly, leader-member exchange theory highlights leadership as a relational process based on trust, loyalty, and mutual support, which mirrors Ubuntu’s emphasis on collaboration and respect (Msila, 2014; Northouse, 2018). Transformational leadership theory, which focuses on fostering intrinsic motivation and follower development, resonates with Ubuntu’s core values of dignity, solidarity, teamwork, and service (Mbigi, 2002; Milner and McCarthy, 2016; Ujomudike, 2016). Likewise, servant leadership theory posits that leadership emerges from a commitment to serving others, a principle deeply embedded in African leadership traditions (Chasi and Levy, 2016; Masango, 2002; Tirmizi et al., 2019). Ubuntu leadership embodies a collective, service-oriented approach in which all members contribute to shared success (Van Norren and Beehner, 2021). While Western and African leadership traditions share commonalities, understanding Ubuntu leadership requires examining the broader socio-cultural conditions that enable its emergence. Translating leadership concepts across traditions may result in the loss of critical nuances and contextual depth.

Scholars called for leadership models rooted in African values to address criticisms of existing African leadership research (Grobler and Singh, 2018). Bhengu (2014) advocated for developing effective leadership by returning to African ethical frameworks and institutionalising indigenous systems. In African-centred leadership, the emphasis is on traditional ethical frameworks that reflect Africa’s unique values and social practices (Lerutla and Steyn, 2021), while balancing local practices with global frameworks (Story et al., 2022). Leadership effectiveness varies by context, and geographical factors influence perceptions (Galperin et al., 2024). Africa’s leadership challenges, shaped by colonial history and global capitalism, require an ethical framework aligned with its values, and Western leadership models, which emphasise individualism, often fail in Africa’s communal context (Lerutla and Steyn, 2021). Given Africa’s multiculturalism, African organisations should resist adopting Western models. There is an increasingly urgent need for leadership models rooted in African values, and Ubuntu is the appropriate framework for organisational ethics.

Ubuntu-based leadership, rooted in indigenous ethical systems, offers a moral perspective grounded in communal relationships and cultural norms that can address Africa’s ethical challenges and influence governance. Embracing Ubuntu can help African organisations develop leaders (Shrivastava et al., 2014), which highlights the importance of local socio-cultural dimensions in organisational performance (Khomba and Kangaude-Ulaya, 2013). However, Africa’s leadership paradox partly arises from the failure to integrate Ubuntu culture and philosophy into formal leadership practices (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019). Lutz (2009) emphasised the need for scholars to assess the role of Ubuntu leadership in the practical functioning of African organisations. African leadership in the public sector must adopt contemporary methods grounded in the continent’s cultural traditions. Current research on Ubuntu leadership often overlooks strategic leadership aspects, which are crucial for driving public sector leader and organisational development.

The aim of this conceptual paper is to explore the integration of Ubuntu philosophy into Africa’s public sector and leadership discourse. The existing literature on Ubuntu was integrated to document the elements of Ubuntu ethical leadership. The author proposes the application of Ubuntu ethical leadership elements in Africa’s public sector in order to attempt to develop effective public sector leaders and organisations that can contribute to solving Africa’s governance challenges. This research contributes to the Ubuntu theoretical foundation to guide the African public sector. The research expands existing literature by applying Ubuntu leadership principles to the public sector beyond business and management.

For this paper, research on Ubuntu ethical leadership was synthesised to summarise common elements and to apply the literature to the public sector in Africa. By consolidating existing knowledge, previous findings that connect Ubuntu ethics leadership to the public sector were integrated in this paper (MacInnis, 2011). The aim was to identify common ground for constructing an enhanced conceptualisation of Ubuntu ethics leadership, proposing new relationships between its elements, and developing logical, complete arguments about these relationships (Gilson and Goldberg, 2015), but not to test them empirically.

A structured conceptual framework was used to leverage existing theoretical knowledge of Ubuntu ethics and leadership and apply it in the public sector (Heinonen and Gruen, 2024). Conceptual induction was applied to identify Ubuntu ethical leadership elements from literature (Meredith, 1993). A comprehensive search was conducted using the Stellenbosch University multi-database search engine, EBSCOhost, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords and index terms, including “Ubuntu leadership”, “ethical leadership”, “Ubuntu∗ AND leadership∗”, “Ubuntu∗ AND ethical leadership∗”, and “Ubuntu philosophy”, were adapted for each database and applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords. After identifying relevant studies, duplicates were removed, and the remaining references were reviewed. Full texts of potentially relevant studies were retrieved, and key information on the concept, context, and findings related to the review question was extracted and systematically recorded for analysis. Qualitative content analysis was employed to identify key aspects of Ubuntu ethical leadership. Frequency counts were used to assess the significance of specific codes. The analysis involved immersive reading and transcription to develop preliminary concepts. Units of meaning were identified, condensed, and coded for clarity, and the codes were then grouped into categories to reveal broader themes. The process was conducted iteratively to ensure a thorough understanding of the material.

Ubuntu is a core tradition in African philosophy among sub-Saharan African tribes (Nzimakwe, 2014) and serves as a foundational socio-cultural framework that governs social relations and personal existence in sub-Saharan Africa (Wanasika et al., 2011). It applies to individuals and institutions alike (Khomba and Kangaude-Ulaya, 2013). Originating from the Nguni-speaking people of South Africa, it embodies “humanness” (Metz, 2015) and serves as a foundation for understanding human identity and consciousness in the African context (Mbigi, 2005). The Zulu maxim “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”, meaning a person is a person through other persons (Metz, 2020), emphasises interconnectedness and the realisation of one’s humanity through relationships by fostering respect, compassion, and moral behaviour (Samuel, 2023). Ubuntu stresses that individual well-being is tied to the collective (Ncube, 2010; Nzimakwe, 2014).

Although rooted in Southern Africa, Ubuntu is recognised across sub-Saharan Africa with different linguistic and cultural expressions, including Avandu (Herero), Batho (Basotho), Watu (Swahili), Kubuntu (Central Africa), and various other regional terms like “human generosity” in Kinyarwanda, obuntu in Uganda, and utu in Kiswahili (Okecha et al., 2024). The concept also appears as umunthu (Chichewa), hunhu (Shona), omundu (Luhya), igwebuike (Igbo), and eniyan (Akan and Yoruba), reflecting a universal African commitment to community well-being (Sachikonye and Ramlogan, 2024).

Despite its diverse expressions across African cultures and languages, Ubuntu remains a unifying philosophy that shapes social relations and personal existence throughout sub-Saharan Africa. As a socio-cultural framework, it influences both individuals and institutions by reinforcing shared values (Khomba and Kangaude-Ulaya, 2013). Ubuntu serves as a common thread in African spirituality, moral thought, and daily life, and integrates ideals of generosity and genuine humanity (Oppenheim, 2012). Thus, despite regional variations, Ubuntu consistently fosters common values by reinforcing its role as a cohesive force in African societies.

Ubuntu is rooted in the continent’s rich cultural diversity (Asiimwe, 2023) and serves as a guiding social ethic and spiritual foundation that is reflected across African societies through common virtues like life, well-being, rights, self-realisation, and group solidarity (du Plooy, 2014). It integrates spirituality, interdependence, and unity while prioritising human dignity, teamwork, service to others, and harmony (Wanasika et al., 2011). Ubuntu fosters African unity through values of generosity, love, care, and hospitality (Asiimwe, 2023) and plays a significant role in good governance by promoting participation, unity, communal vision, survival, and collective ethics (Bhana and Suknunan, 2022). Ubuntu ethics emphasise principles like reciprocity, the common good, peaceful coexistence, consensus-building, mutual respect (Ujomudike, 2016), compassion, respect, and dignity (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019; Mbigi, 2005).

Ubuntu leadership emphasises Afrocentric values such as collectivism, shared responsibilities, and relational harmony (Nzimakwe, 2014). Key traits of African leadership, including solidarity, compassion, dignity, respect, and a commitment to collective well-being, align with Ubuntu principles (Muller et al., 2019). This leadership approach promotes unity, shared identity, and collective ethics, which are vital for good governance (Ngunjiri, 2016). Ubuntu leadership encourages leaders to embody virtues like transparency, discipline, and critical thinking to foster effective and ethical leadership (Daudu and Asuelime, 2019). Moreover, Ubuntu prioritises humanity, inclusivity, and service to others (Bolden and Kirk, 2009).

In the Ubuntu worldview, an ideal leader embodies core virtues such as patience, optimism, empathy, friendliness, generosity, care, and respect (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019). These virtues reflect the moral qualities of someone who “has Ubuntu” and emphasise interconnectedness by fostering a shared existence that extends individual capabilities to include the well-being of others (Gade, 2012). Ubuntu aligns with the universal values of human dignity and highlights the interdependent nature of human relationships (Aliye, 2020).

Ubuntu is rooted in humanness and kindness toward others (Mthembu, 1996) and emphasises the ethical responsibility to support others as central to its philosophy (Metz, 2016). At its core, Ubuntu asserts that humanity is reflected in how individuals are treated—with respect and dignity (Bhana and Suknunan, 2022). Solidarity in Ubuntu involves enhancing others’ lives through empathy and a genuine commitment to collective well-being (Metz, 2014).

Ubuntu prioritises community through shared relationships by shaping the values that guide African interactions and engagements (Eresia-Eke and Mabasa, 2018). It emphasises collective responsibility, humaneness, and interconnectedness to foster solidarity and brotherhood (Iwowo, 2015). Ubuntu highlights group solidarity and interdependence, especially in resource-scarce environments where mutual support is essential for survival (Mbigi, 2005; Msila, 2014). Moreover, Ubuntu defines individual identity through relationships, thereby fostering collective unity (Sambala et al., 2019). Relational behaviour in Ubuntu is driven by values like love, kindness, and sharing, reflecting reasoning and action in a community context (Khomba and Kangaude-Ulaya, 2013).

Effective leadership in the public sector hinges on the combination of character and competence as these elements collectively shape the effectiveness of leaders. Character, consisting of virtues, traits, and values, drives sustained excellence in individuals and organisations (Seijts et al., 2023). Focusing on character development is essential, as without it, leaders may lack the qualities needed to address Africa’s challenges (Crossan et al., 2024). The dimensions of character, particularly judgement, influence actions and decisions (Seijts et al., 2023). Van Breda (2019) outlined virtues that ethical African leaders should embody, and included kindness, empathy, forgiveness, and thoughtfulness (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019). Ethical African leaders are expected to demonstrate compassion, dignity, and respect, with respect characterised by impartial consideration of others’ rights, values, and property (Nzimakwe, 2014).

The integration of character and ethical virtues is indispensable for African public sector leaders to successfully navigate the complexities of their roles. Msila (2022) emphasised the importance of principled leadership grounded in strong virtues as virtues are behaviours indicative of good leadership. Ethical leadership starts with ethical decision-making awareness, followed by self-reflection and value alignment with the organisation (Msila, 2022). When leaders’ actions deviate from followers’ expectations, it can harm organisational performance (Fries et al., 2021). Ubuntu offers a framework for understanding the moral standards that guide public sector leaders (Sachikonye and Ramlogan, 2024). Ubuntu highlights moral attributes and must be embraced as a way of life by leaders to shape their actions and identity (Van Breda, 2019). Mbigi (2007) identified key African leadership practices such as listening, persuasion, and healing. Harrison et al. (2015) asserted that leaders must show fairness, honesty, and generosity toward stakeholders. Ubuntu rejects self-interest, and therefore, public sector leaders should avoid selfishness (Sambala et al., 2019). These leaders should also avoid anti-Ubuntu behaviours like dishonesty, and prejudice (Bhana and Suknunan, 2022).

Effective leadership practices directly influence the success of organisational goals and societal progress, and therefore, effective leadership practices are essential for achieving high-quality outcomes in the public sector (Fries et al., 2021). Story et al. (2022) proposed an integrative approach to ethical leadership by emphasising humane orientation (treating others with dignity), justice orientation (fair and consistent decision-making), responsibility and sustainability orientation (long-term societal concerns), and moderation orientation (balanced behaviour).

Ethical leadership in the public sector is fundamental for fostering trust, enhancing accountability, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of government institutions and services. Leadership and ethics are closely linked, with ethics forming the foundation of public service principles and public administration (Nicolaides and Duho, 2019). To improve ethical leadership in the public sector, leaders must integrate moral principles, integrity, and fairness into their decision-making processes (Sebola et al., 2024). Public sector leaders should embody the five key Ubuntu values outlined by Mbigi (2002): Respect for others’ dignity, solidarity, teamwork, service to others, and a spirit of harmony and interdependence. Ethical leadership involves relational influence, with leaders demonstrating moral judgement, critical thinking, vision, and actions rooted in justice and fairness (Daudu and Asuelime, 2019).

Cultural challenges to ethical leadership development must be addressed to cultivate ethical leaders and promote ethical environments in the public sector. This involves integrating local cultural values, such as those found in Ubuntu. Mangaliso (2001) argued that incorporating Ubuntu principles into leadership provides superior approaches to organisational leadership. Mugumbate and Nyanguru (2013) found that integrating Ubuntu practices led to effective leadership as Ubuntu is rooted in African cultural traditions. Ubuntu emphasises collective values, thus urging leaders to embrace civic virtues in their roles (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019).

It is essential for leaders to draw on African cultural values that prioritise collective well-being and interconnectedness to overcome the leadership challenges in the public sector. Public service leadership challenges can be addressed by leaders embracing African cultural values such as communalism, collectivism, participation, and humanism (Aliye, 2020; Eyong, 2019). Unlike individualistic cultures, Ubuntu emphasises relationships and defines individuals through their connections with others (Metz, 2015). Ubuntu represents African ideals of personhood that is grounded in interconnectedness (Van Breda, 2019). A key tenet of Ubuntu ethics is personal responsibility in relationships, where self-transformation occurs through interactions with others (Samuel, 2023). Ethical public service leadership inspired by Ubuntu must recognise that individual existence is inseparable from the collective because this will foster a unified community based on compassion, respect, and shared responsibility.

Ubuntu leadership, with its emphasis on relationships and collaboration, offers a transformative approach to leadership that prioritises the well-being of all stakeholders (Woermann and Engelbrecht, 2019). An ethical public sector leader should focus on stakeholder well-being while nurturing community and belonging. Ubuntu envisions stakeholders as interconnected, with each contributing to the others’ value and identity, leading to improved public service (Littrell et al., 2013). Stakeholders can shape ethical behaviour in the public sector by promoting Ubuntu norms.

Accountability in Africa can be enhanced through good governance principles, particularly public participation, which holds leaders accountable (Obasa, 2019). Ubuntu ethical leadership offers a powerful framework for reshaping decision-making processes in Africa because it emphasises collaboration and shared responsibility for the common good. Ubuntu ethical leadership can influence African leaders’ decision-making by reinforcing collective decision-making as essential for achieving public service goals. Africans are socialised to understand the importance of collective effort to achieve challenging goals (Nzimakwe, 2014). Ethical leaders should embrace collective visioning by fostering a collective mindset (Msila, 2014). The Ubuntu leadership tradition emphasises consensual democracy as central to good leadership (Metz, 2020). Ethical public leaders should therefore focus on group-oriented decision-making to foster dialogue and consensus-building until all stakeholders reach a compromise and they should consult with various stakeholders, including ordinary community members.

Effective public sector organisations are vital for development, and integrating Ubuntu ethics offers a powerful approach to enhance organisational performance and societal progress (Ojogiwa, 2021). From an Ubuntu perspective, public sector leadership actions must be seen in the context of harmonious relationships based on mutual responsibilities (Sachikonye and Ramlogan, 2024). Public sector organisations should promote open, honest communication, particularly on ethical issues (Duho and Nicolaides, 2015; Nicolaides and Dludla, 2023). Ubuntu leadership can enhance employee engagement and job satisfaction by fostering a sense of belonging and community (Tauetsile, 2021). Therefore, Ubuntu theory can foster collaborative leadership and enhance performance in the public sector.

Ethics in public sector organisations prioritise efficiency and optimising inputs and outputs (Shava and Mazenda, 2021). To achieve service delivery goals, African public sector organisations must embrace Ubuntu ethics because integrating indigenous knowledge systems will help align African worldviews with organisational effectiveness (Msila, 2022).

For public sector organisations to truly reflect the needs of diverse communities, leadership must prioritise an inclusive and collaborative approach in teams. Ubuntu leadership promotes teamwork by prioritising collective goals over individual interests (Booysen, 2001). Metz (2016) emphasised that moral development thrives in communal living, and Lutz (2009) suggested that African organisational leadership should view the organisation as a community by emphasising interdependence and collective behaviour (Sachikonye and Ramlogan, 2024). This approach fosters care for the teams’ well-being, cooperation, open communication, teamwork, and reciprocal moral obligations (Metz, 2014).

To navigate the challenges of public sector governance, fostering employee engagement is critical, especially during times of crisis. Therefore, employee engagement is vital in the public sector as government agencies address crises (Zahari and Kaliannan, 2023). Ubuntu-inspired ethical leadership should emphasise team collaboration and mutual respect (Van Norren and Beehner, 2021), with ethical norms established through discussion and consensus (Verhoef and Ramolai, 2019). Cooperative behaviours like transparency, trust, and pursuit of common goals should be prioritised (Metz, 2020). A collectivist Ubuntu framework will ensure the team’s well-being is prioritised over personal gains, thereby fostering teamwork, minimising individual competition, and valuing social harmony (Booysen, 2001).

Ubuntu leadership offers a powerful framework for cultivating meaningful connections and fostering an inclusive, respectful environment in public sector organisations. Ubuntu leadership emphasises strong relationships, mutual respect, and empathy between leaders and followers (Aliye, 2020). Leaders must ensure effective communication that addresses conflicts and makes individuals feel included while maintaining their unique identities (Ashikali et al., 2021). Compassion is central to Ubuntu, with leaders sharing in employees’ struggles and promoting humanism through interconnectedness and communal responsibility (Muller et al., 2019). This will lead to public sector employees being more engaged because they are treated with respect, dignity, and acknowledgement.

Ubuntu leadership creates a collaborative environment in which team unity and active participation are central to organisational success. In Ubuntu-led organisations, leaders unify teams, enhance participation, and encourage skill and idea sharing (Msila, 2014). Employee participation is critical for adapting to change and improving decision-making (Wang et al., 2022). Participative leaders motivate employees to engage in collective decision-making (Wang et al., 2022). Ubuntu leadership fosters open communication, inclusivity, and mutual support to ensure all voices are valued (Chetty and Price, 2024). Employee perceptions of Ubuntu leadership significantly impact their engagement (Chetty and Price, 2024).

Public sector leaders must act with moral integrity because effective public service leadership relies on moral qualities (Sebola et al., 2024). Msila (2022) identified unethical leadership as a key cause of service delivery failures and diminished public trust. African states must demonstrate transparency and accountability to enhance public service efficiency and strengthen political and administrative structures (Obasa, 2019). However, challenges like weak legal frameworks, misuse of state resources, clientelism, and vote-buying hinder anti-corruption efforts (Sule, 2021). Ubuntu philosophy emphasises democracy, transparency, responsibility, and accountability (Nicolaides and Dludla, 2023).

Public sector leaders must align with transparency and accountability principles to embody authentic Ubuntu (Nzimakwe, 2014). Ethical leadership, rooted in honesty and selflessness, is critical for effective public service (Sebola et al., 2024). Ethics ensure the integrity and efficiency of public organisations, and transparency is essential for their success (Shava and Mazenda, 2021). Ubuntu encourages checks and balances by viewing decisions through interconnectedness and social responsibility (Sambala et al., 2019).

Public sector leadership can only be truly effective if accountability is at the core to ensure leaders are both transparent and responsible in their actions. Accountability in Ubuntu-inspired public sector leaders is a foundational element of governance that legitimises their authority and fosters public confidence (Woolgar and Neyland, 2013). Accountability assures citizens that public sector leaders will explain their actions and decisions (Obasa, 2019) because ethical leaders ensure transparency in resource allocation and decision-making (Sebola et al., 2024). Misuse of public resources or leadership failures that only benefit a few contradicts Ubuntu’s emphasis on humanness (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019). Accountability ensures efficient use of resources by providing oversight that enhances governance and poverty alleviation (Arun et al., 2020).

Ethics serves as the cornerstone of effective service delivery in the public sector because it ensures leadership remains focused on the greater good of the community. Ethics is vital for the public sector’s ability to deliver services to communities (Shava and Mazenda, 2021). Public officials must deeply understand and serve their communities by upholding Ubuntu values in government practices (Nzimakwe, 2014). Public officials must adhere to ethical standards when considering and responding to the public’s needs (Shava and Mazenda, 2021). Societal challenges can be addressed by focusing on improving quality of life, fostering innovation, and protecting citizens (Msila, 2022). Ubuntu ethics teaches that individuals have a moral duty to care for others’ well-being, and actions are deemed right if they contribute to others’ welfare (Metz, 2015).

It is essential to integrate Ubuntu values into administrative practices to cultivate more impactful and inclusive public sector leadership. Integrating Ubuntu into public administration enhances leadership practices and service delivery (Theletsane, 2012). In African traditions, leadership is seen as service to the community (Eyong, 2019), and in Ubuntu cultures, leaders prioritise community interests over personal self-interest (Shrivastava et al., 2014) by emphasising contributions to and improvements in the community (Sambala et al., 2019). Leaders are expected to prioritise community well-being with value-based, people-centred leadership (Aliye, 2020). Public sector leaders must therefore recognise their responsibility to uplift communities. Ubuntu emphasises public service by urging individuals to contribute to humanity’s betterment (Nzimakwe, 2014) by prioritising citizens’ well-being, achieving a broader societal impact (Sabir, 2021), fostering a sense of communal living, and ensuring inclusivity (Lutz, 2009).

Public sector leaders should cultivate an Ubuntu-based organisational culture because culture shapes employee behaviour and ensures organisational cohesion (Ertosun and Adiguzel, 2018). To harness Ubuntu as a constructive force in African public sector organisations, an inclusive organisational culture must be adopted to align organisational activities with both internal and external stakeholders. Public sector ethical leadership rooted in Ubuntu principles should prioritise community interests and a stakeholder-centred approach informed by African socio-cultural values.

Public sector leaders must establish ethical leadership norms aligned with Ubuntu to ensure that organisational principles and management practices reflect these values. Norms reflect the broader cultural framework of communities, and public sector leaders responsible for shaping organisational norms should establish management principles and rules that align with Ubuntu ethical leadership values. Effective Ubuntu leadership requires both principled individuals and an environment that fosters ethical behaviour (Van Niekerk and May, 2019).

Public sector leaders should cultivate a humanistic organisational culture that reinforces interconnectedness, compassion, dignity, and mutual respect. Employee commitment to co-workers and supervisors is positively associated with Ubuntu’s collective values, ultimately enhancing service quality performance (Molose et al., 2018). The delivery of quality public sector services should be mediated by Ubuntu principles and facilitated through leadership that fosters compassion, group solidarity, teamwork, and respect.

Additionally, Ubuntu leaders must develop a psychological contract shaped by stakeholder expectations and constructed through comparative evaluations that define and institutionalise Ubuntu norms. Mangaliso (2001) highlighted that fostering collegiality through helpfulness in work teams creates a culture of sharing and caring. Treating colleagues with respect and dignity enhances the moral quality of individuals and translates into a workplace environment that upholds humaneness, ultimately contributing to the well-being of both employees and organisations (Tladi, 2021).

The need for ethical leadership in Africa is increasingly urgent due to challenges like globalisation, social inequality, and governance crises. Ubuntu provides a unique approach that emphasises ethical qualities, community-driven leadership, and relationship prioritisation. Integrating Ubuntu principles allows African leaders to effectively navigate complexities by fostering communal values, interconnectedness, and moral responsibility.

Despite growing attention to African leadership (Bhengu and Emanuel, 2022), leadership remains poorly understood from an African perspective (Okecha et al., 2024). While Ubuntu offers a culturally relevant foundation for leadership development (Ngunjiri, 2016), public sector leadership research in Africa still lacks essential theoretical frameworks to address its underdevelopment. Although Ubuntu is frequently referenced, there is no definitive description of leadership types across diverse African contexts, indicating a need for further exploration (Okecha et al., 2024). Understanding ethical leadership in Africa’s public sector requires examining its perception and enactment across different nations and addressing tensions between Ubuntu and Western leadership frameworks (Story et al., 2022).

Lutz (2009) emphasised the need to assess the significance of Ubuntu leadership in the functioning of African organisations, particularly in the public sector. Ubuntu leadership must also embrace contemporary methods grounded in cultural traditions (Nicolaides and Duho, 2019). Research on Ubuntu leadership often neglects output-oriented aspects, like strategic leadership, and the social dimensions necessary for leader, leadership, and organisational development in the public sector (Eyong, 2019). Research is needed to rectify these challenges.

The governance and leadership paradox in Africa arises from the lack of integration of Ubuntu philosophy into formal leadership discourse and practice (Asamoah and Yeboah-Assiamah, 2019). There is a pressing need to establish a culturally relevant theoretical foundation for public sector Ubuntu leadership to aid leadership development in the sector across the continent.