Rooted in Resilience: Reimagining ESG Through African Wisdom🇳🇬
By Lamé Verre
Co-Founder & Chair, Advisory Board – Lean In Equity & Sustainability
“Until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
This African proverb reminds us, that narratives matter, and so does who get to shape them. In the global discourse on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), Africa is
often spoken for, rather than listened to. But we are not passive participants.
Think about this – In a village in northern Ghana, a grandmother teaches her grandchildren
how to plant cassava in harmony with the rains. No written ESG policy guides her. Just generations of wisdom, stewardship, and care for the land.
Across Africa, sustainability is not a trend. It is a way of life. Yet global ESG frameworks often overlook this truth, imposing standards that miss the richness of our context. Sustainability is not something Africa needs to learn; it is something we live.
Our relationship with the land, our communities, and our governance structures is deeply rooted in tradition, resilience, and innovation. Yet, for far too long, ESG has been a conversation dominated by frameworks from the Global North. Often viewed as a box-ticking exercise, ESG is reduced to a hoop to jump through, primarily to satisfy foreign investors or meet international reporting standards.
But when was the last time an ESG strategy was shaped by a community elder, a youth entrepreneur, or a local farmer?
Africa is not a monolith. It spans 54 countries, home to over 1.4 billion people, and a tapestry of cultures, languages, ecosystems, and economies.
Our complexity demands ESG frameworks that are as nuanced as we are, frameworks that are born of the soil, not borrowed from abroad.
Reframing ESG for Africa
Environment (E): Climate Justice Over Carbon Credits
Environmental responsibility in Africa is not just about carbon credits; it is about climate justice. It is about building businesses that are resilient to droughts, floods, and shifting
weather patterns. It is about safeguarding our continent’s irreplaceable biodiversity and
ensuring access to clean cooking, clean water, and clean air. The Crown Estate – Official Africa holds 60% of the world’s best solar resources. Yet in 2024, we received just 2% of global clean energy investments. This disparity highlights the urgent need for tailored environmental strategies that reflect our potential and our challenges, from desertification in the Sahel to deforestation in the Congo Basin.
We are already leading. Orange Middle East and Africa, for example, has equipped over 6,000 telecom sites with solar panels, aiming for 50% renewable electricity by 2025. Kenya’s green bond market is financing climate-resilient infrastructure.
These are African-led solutions, rooted in context and driven by necessity.
Social (S): Equity Rooted in Community
The “S” in ESG is the beating heart of Africa’s sustainability story. It is not just about diversity policies—it is about genuine equity. It is about creating jobs for our youth, empowering women, and building businesses that uplift entire communities.
Africa has the youngest population in the world, with about 70% of sub-Saharan Africa under the age of thirty. Our ESG strategies must ensure fair wages, skills development, and inclusive growth. But equity alone is not enough—it must be underpinned by systems that ensure fairness and accountability. Across the continent, youth- and women-led enterprises are already leading the way. The YouthADAPT Challenge, for instance, supports climate-smart businesses like Majik Water in Kenya, which extracts clean water from air, and Chapi Core Tech in Zambia, which provides solar-powered poultry incubators to women farmers. These are not just
businesses. They are engines of social transformation.
Governance (G): Trust, Transparency, and Transformation
Governance is the foundation upon which ESG must flourish. It is about transparency, accountability, and the relentless fight against corruption. Strong governance builds trust, unlocks investment, and ensures that the wealth we create is distributed fairly.
Studies show that corporate governance significantly improves ESG disclosure in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially with diverse and independent boards. South Africa’s mandatory climate disclosures and Nigeria’s push for standardized ESG reporting are reshaping the governance landscape. Meanwhile, African companies are adopting RegTech and blockchain to enhance ESG data integrity and prevent greenwashing. This is not just a compliance issue, it is a strategic imperative.The Crown Estate – Official
Local Contexts, Local Solutions
Traditional ESG frameworks, while well-intentioned, often fail to capture the complexities of African realities. Our environmental challenges are distinct. Our social dynamics are
diverse. Our governance structures are shaped by a myriad of political and socio-economic factors.
While global reports offer valuable insights, the most effective solutions will emerge from a village meeting in rural Nigeria, a community centre in Johannesburg, or a small business hub in Nairobi.
We must develop ESG strategies that are deeply rooted in our local contexts before aligning with global standards. This is not about rejecting global norms, it is about enriching them with African wisdom.
Innovation and Leapfrogging
Africa has the potential to leapfrog traditional development pathways—not by mimicking the past, but by innovating toward a more sustainable future. From mobile banking and fintech solutions that promote financial inclusion, to renewable energy projects powering remote areas, and sustainable agricultural practices that ensure food security, innovation is already happening across the continent.
But innovation is not just a buzzword, it is a measurable driver of ESG performance. Forexample, off-grid solar solutions in East Africa have improved access to clean energy for millions, directly impacting environmental metrics (reduced emissions), social metrics (improved health and education), and governance metrics (through transparent pay-as-you-go systems). Similarly, mobile money platforms like M-Pesa have enhanced financial inclusion and accountability, key ESG indicators.
By embedding ESG principles into these innovations from the outset, Africa can create solutions that are not only scalable and resilient, but also quantifiably impactful.
Leadership and Accountability
As African leaders, whether in government, business, or civil society—we have a responsibility to set the tone and lead by example. This means not only adhering to ESG standards, but also being transparent about our progress, our challenges, and our commitments to future generations. But leadership is not confined to those on the continent.
The African diaspora plays a critical role in shaping ESG narratives, mobilizing capital, and influencing global policy. From impact investors and sustainability experts to
The Crown Estate – Official entrepreneurs and academics, diaspora communities are uniquely positioned to bridge African realities with global platforms, bringing both resources and representation to the table.
Take the African Diaspora Innovation Fund, which channels capital into sustainable ventures across Africa—from climate resilience and education to agritech and youth empowerment. These initiatives exemplify how diaspora leadership can drive ESG-aligned impact.
By fostering stronger partnerships between local actors and the diaspora, we can amplify African voices in ESG conversations, attract values-aligned investment, and co-create solutions that are both globally credible and locally grounded.
It is through this collective leadership, and a culture of accountability, that we build trust,
unlock innovation, and drive meaningful, measurable change. The future of African business is not just about competing globally; it is about leading with purpose, with an ESG framework that is authentically our own.
A Call to Action
This is a call to action: to build businesses that are not just compliant, but fundamentally
good. Businesses capable of driving sustainable development and equitable growth.
Africa is uniquely positioned to lead the world in developing solutions that are both profitable and profoundly beneficial to people and planet.
Let ESG be our compass—not a checklist. Let it guide us toward inclusive growth, climate
justice, and shared prosperity.
“Wisdom, they say is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.”
Let us embrace ESG collectively: across sectors, generations, and geographies.
Let us build a future that is inclusive, resilient, and authentically African.
By Lamé Verre
Co-Founder & Chair, Advisory Board – Lean In Equity & Sustainability
