Question : Are there any controls over how the Ibrahim Prize money is spent?

The Ibrahim Prize Laureates are totally independent, and the Foundation does not seek to influence any winner in how he or she chooses to use the Ibrahim Prize.

The Ibrahim Prize Laureates are totally independent, and the Foundation does not seek to influence any winner in how he or she chooses to use the Ibrahim Prize.

Question : How will the Ibrahim Prize persuade bad leaders to leave office when they can enrich themselves so much more through corruption?

The Ibrahim Prize is not a bribe but recognition of achievement and excellence in leadership. Excellence is honoured in many fields and none is more important than the exercise of leadership in Africa. The Ibrahim Prize also provides leaders with a practical means to continue to contribute to the continent after office.

First and foremost, the Ibrahim Prize is not a bribe. It is not about encouraging people to govern well. It is to recognise and celebrate the high standards of leadership already visible in Africa. There is nothing strange in this. The world has long recognised, for example, scientific and literary achievement. It makes sense that we should also celebrate excellence in leadership - and particularly in Africa where the challenges are so immense.

In addition to celebrating the great work being done in Africa, the Ibrahim Prize aims to provide leaders with the opportunities to build a life of service after office. Few African leaders enjoy the lucrative opportunities (such as writing their memoirs, giving speeches or joining company boards) which are available to their Western counterparts after office, to help fund their activities. The Ibrahim Prize allows African leaders to build on their achievements in office and play an active role in civil society, diplomacy or conflict resolution on the continent once they have left office.

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Question : Wouldn’t the prize money being given to leaders be better spent on practical measures to help the people of the continent, such as boring water holes or providing anti-malaria nets?

In comparison to the overall funding that is being spent in Africa, the Ibrahim Prize is tiny. However the prize money has the potential to harness experience and expertise to increase benefits derived from all of Africa’s resources.

The Foundation recognises and applauds the extremely valuable work being done to assist Africans by multilateral organisations, foreign donors and local and international NGOs.

However, the Foundation believes that one of the best ways to channel its resources is to strengthen great African leadership by recognising and celebrating the individuals who play such a critical role in determining the future of their countries. Within the context of the US$ 70 billion that is contributed to sub-Saharan Africa each year through debt relief and aid, the Foundation believes that the Ibrahim Prize is a comparatively small investment. But given to an individual with a proven ability to contribute to Africa the money has the potential for very significant returns.

The prize money is designed to work in conjunction with the billions of dollars of development spending. If a country is well governed this means there will be a significant increase in the effectiveness and impact of all funds going into the country, including development aid.

Question : Looking across the continent, is it fair to argue that there are not many extraordinary leaders who will be suitable candidates for the Ibrahim Prize?

This is exactly the kind of misconception the Ibrahim Prize seeks to challenge. However the Ibrahim Prize will not be awarded if there aren’t any suitable candidates.

The first two winners of the Ibrahim Prize had a record of achievement in office which would stand comparison with the very best leaders of any continent, past or present. Part of the story of the Ibrahim Prize is the good news that there are more excellent leaders in Africa than often recognised. While the focus is often on failures of leadership, the Ibrahim Prize aims to call attention to the positive leadership on the continent. The Prize Committee, which is a unique repository of experience and expertise in this area, engages in a rigorous evaluation of all eligible candidates. It is for the Prize Committee to form its own judgments and make its decisions accordingly.

However the Prize Committee does reserve the right not to confer the Ibrahim Prize in any given year.

Question : Why is there a time-lag in the data for the Ibrahim Index and doesn’t that mean that all the information is out-of-date and irrelevant?

A time lag is standard practice due to availability of data. However the Foundation will also continue to work on improving the quality of data available for Africa.

Data availability, collection and analysis mean that time-lags are standard and inevitable for most multinational indices. The Ibrahim Index, with its two year time lag, is actually much more up-to-date than many other indices. The data is still relevant as it charts the course of progress over time to provide analysis of changes in the standard of governance in a country.

And the Foundation will continue to advocate for improved data in Africa, and will contribute to furthering this agenda by pioneering new methods of data collection on the continent and building institutional capacity to collect the data required.