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Trust is Fundamental for Africa: In conversation with Dr Jim Harter, Chief Scientist at Gallup, on Closing Distance

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Jim Harter

Gallup’s Chief Scientist, Dr Jim Harter, joins Closing Distance host Dominic Wilhelm in a new episode, 70 Million Conversations Later, to explore why trust is fundamental for Africa and beyond. Drawing on Gallup’s research across more than 160 countries and 70 million employees – including sobering data from sub-Saharan Africa – Harter reveals how authentic leadership and simple habits can transform stress, disengagement, and loneliness into resilience, performance, and thriving workplaces.

Trust is fundamental to human connection, resilient organisations, and performance that lasts. That was the clear message from Dr Jim Harter, Gallup’s Chief Scientist, in a new episode of Closing Distance with Dominic Wilhelm, Executive Director of The Global Trust Project.

Gallup has surveyed more than 70 million employees worldwide and conducts representative polls in over 160 countries – including across Africa. Its findings are unequivocal: trust underpins engagement, wellbeing, and profitability. Organisations that get trust right not only outperform financially but remain resilient through crises.

The African picture is both sobering and urgent. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 report, nearly half of employees in sub-Saharan Africa (48%) experienced significant stress the previous day, compared with a global average of 41%. More than one in four (28%) reported loneliness, again higher than the global average of 22%. And only 17% of workers in the region said they were thriving, compared with 33% globally.

These indicators are not simply statistics: they are signals of trust, or its absence, in workplaces across the continent. When leaders fail to provide clarity, recognition, and care, employees disengage. But where leadership is authentic and close to people, the results are striking.

“The people within those organisations are experiencing high involvement, enthusiasm for their organisation, high interest in their jobs. They’re producing at high levels. They’re holding their own during crises. The organisations themselves are more profitable. They’re serving their customers effectively.” – Dr Jim Harter

Harter’s prescription for rebuilding trust is practical: one meaningful conversation each week between a manager and every team member. For Wilhelm, it connects directly with The Global Trust Project’s Trust Equity Index (TEi), which measures Integrity, Benevolence, Capability, and Inclination alongside key impact factors. The TEi provides African leaders with a structured way to operationalise trustworthiness – turning insight into action.

The people within those organisations are experiencing high involvement, enthusiasm for their organisation, high interest in their jobs

“Trust isn’t something you build directly,” Wilhelm reflected. “It emerges when integrity, benevolence, and capability are present and lived. Trustworthiness can be operationalised. Trust itself is felt.”

The episode also explored definitions of trust. Harter described it at a basic level as reliability – “can I count on this person?” – and at a deeper level as the confidence to be one’s true self and be accepted. Wilhelm added a widely cited definition: “trust is the willingness to be vulnerable based on expected behaviours.” Both agreed that expected behaviours centre on integrity, benevolence, and capability – qualities that, when present, create the conditions for trust to emerge.

A theme that resonated strongly was proximity. Gallup’s research shows that trust is highest with colleagues and local managers, and weakest with distant leaders. This reflects both human evolution and organisational design. As Harter noted, large organisations are recent inventions in human history, and distance – physical and psychological – can quickly erode trust. Managers therefore play a decisive role: they account for 70 percent of the variance in team engagement, acting as the bridge between leadership vision and employee reality.

The conversation also touched on the language of leadership. Industrial-era models often reduced people to mechanised parts, with annual performance ratings disconnected from lived experience. Harter argued for more humanising language, noting that Gallup refers to managers as “go-tos” – someone employees can turn to for support, goal-setting, and advice – rather than bosses.

The urgency of this message is particularly acute in Africa, where trust intersects with the continent’s biggest priorities. High trust in institutions can accelerate economic growth, strengthen governance, and boost tax compliance. It can also support the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which depends on governments and businesses trusting one another across borders. In the workplace, rebuilding trust is essential for engaging Africa’s young and fast-growing workforce – the largest youth population in the world.

While global trust in institutions has been sliding, the evidence in Africa shows that organisations with great leadership can buck the trend – proving that trust, once restored, becomes a renewable source of resilience and prosperity. Informal economies across Africa already run on trust; formal organisations can draw on these traditions, and on African values of dialogue and relational leadership, to build workplaces where people can thrive.

70 Million Conversations Later: Dr Jim Harter on Closing Distance is available now on the Closing Distance podcast.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Global Trust Project.

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As global power structures shift, Invest Africa convenes The Africa Debate 2026 to redefine partnership in a changing world

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February 6, 2026

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The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation

LONDON, United Kingdom, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –As African economies assert greater agency in a rapidly evolving global order, Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com) is delighted to announce The Africa Debate 2026, its flagship investment forum, taking place at the historic Guildhall in London on 3 June 2026.

Now in its 12th year, The Africa Debate has established itself as London’s premier platform for African investment dialogue since launching in 2014, convening over 800 global decision-makers annually to shape the future of trade, finance, investment, and development across the continent.

Under the theme “Redefining Partnership: Navigating a World in Transition”, this year’s forum will focus on Africa’s response to global economic realignment with greater agency, ambition and economic sovereignty.

The Africa Debate puts Africa’s priorities at the centre of the conversation, moving beyond traditional narratives to focus on ownership, resilience and long-term value creation.

“Volatility is not new to Africa. What is changing is the opportunity to respond with greater agency and ambition,” says Invest Africa CEO Chantelé Carrington.

“This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy — so African economies can take greater ownership of their growth. Success will be defined by how effectively we turn disruption into leverage and partnership into shared value.”

The Africa Debate 2026 will provide a platform for this essential, era-defining discussion, convening leaders to explore how Africa and its partners can build more balanced, resilient and sustainable models of cooperation.

Key challenges driving the debate

Core focus areas for this year’s edition of The Africa Debate include:

This year’s edition of The Africa Debate asks how we strengthen economic sovereignty — from access to capital and investment to financial and industrial policy

Global Realignment & New Partnerships

How shifting geopolitical and economic power structures are reshaping Africa’s global partnerships, trade dynamics and investment landscape.

Financing Africa’s Future

The growing need to reform the global financial architecture, new approaches to development finance, as well as the strengthening of market access and financial resilience of African economies in a changing global system.

Strategic Value Chains

Moving beyond primary exports to build local value chains in critical minerals for the green economy. Also addressing Africa’s energy access gap and mobilising investment in renewable and transitional energy systems.

Digital Transformation & Technology

Unlocking growth in fintech, AI and digital infrastructure to drive productivity, inclusion, and the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation.

The Africa Debate 2026 offers a unique platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making, and strategic engagement. Attendees will gain actionable insights from leading policymakers, investors and business leaders shaping Africa’s economic future, while building strategic partnerships that define the continent’s next growth phase.

Registration is now open (http://apo-opa.co/46b19gj).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

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Zion Adeoye terminated as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CLG due to serious personal and professional conduct violations

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2 days ago

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February 6, 2026

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After a thorough internal and external investigation, along with a disciplinary hearing chaired by Sbongiseni Dube, CLG (https://CLGglobal.com) has made the decision to terminate Zion Adeoye due to serious personal and professional conduct violations. This process adhered to the Code of Good Practice of the Labour Relations Act, ensuring fairness, transparency, and compliance with South African law.

Mr. Adeoye has been held accountable for several serious offenses, including:

  • Making malicious and defamatory statements against colleagues
  • Extortion
  • Intimidation
  • Fraud
  • Misuse of company funds
  • Theft and misappropriation of funds
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Mismanagement

His actions are in direct contradiction to our firm’s core values. We do not approve of attorneys spending time in a Gentleman’s Club. CLG deeply regrets the impact this situation has had on our colleagues and continues to provide full support to those affected.

We want to express our gratitude to those who spoke up and to reassure everyone at the firm of our unwavering commitment to maintaining a respectful workplace. Misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and will be addressed decisively.

We recognize the seriousness of this matter and have referred it to the appropriate law enforcement, regulatory, and legal authorities in Nigeria, Mauritius, and South Africa. We kindly ask that the privacy of the third party involved be respected.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CLG.

 

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The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) Strengthens Partnership with the Republic of Djibouti through US$35 Million Financing Facility

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February 6, 2026

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This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, February 5, 2026/APO Group/ –The International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) (https://www.ITFC-IDB.org), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, has signed a US$35 million sovereign financing facility with the Republic of Djibouti to support the development of the country’s bunkering services sector and strengthen its position as a strategic regional maritime and trade hub.

The facility was signed at the ITFC Headquarters in Jeddah by Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, Chief Executive Officer of ITFC, and H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti.

The financing facility is expected to contribute to Djibouti’s economic growth and revenue diversification by reinforcing the competitiveness and attractiveness of the Djibouti Port as a “one-stop port” offering comprehensive vessel-related services. With Red Sea Bunkering (RSB) as the Executing Agency, the facility will support the procurement of refined petroleum products, thus boosting RSB’s bunkering operations, enhancing revenue diversification, and consolidating Djibouti’s role as a key logistics and trading hub in the Horn of Africa and the wider region.

We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth

Commenting on the signing, Eng. Adeeb Yousuf Al-Aama, CEO of ITFC, stated:

“This financing reflects ITFC’s continued commitment to supporting Djibouti’s strategic development priorities, particularly in strengthening energy security, port competitiveness, and trade facilitation. We are proud to deepen our partnership with the Republic of Djibouti and contribute to sustainable economic growth and regional integration.”

H.E. Ilyas Moussa Dawaleh, Minister of Economy and Finance in charge of Industry of the Republic of Djibouti, commented: “Today’s signing marks an important milestone in the development of Djibouti’s bunkering services and reflects our strong and valued partnership with ITFC, particularly in the oil and gas sector. This collaboration supports our ambition to position Djibouti as a regional hub for integrated maritime and logistics services. We look forward to deepening this partnership, creating new opportunities, and leveraging collaborative programs to advance key sectors and drive sustainable economic growth.”

This facility forms part of the US$600 million, three-year Framework Agreement signed in May 2023 between ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti, reflecting the strong and growing partnership between both parties.

Since its inception in 2008, ITFC and the Republic of Djibouti have maintained a strong partnership, with a total of US$1.8 billion approved primarily supporting the country’s energy sector and trade development objectives.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC).

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