Manuella Zagba, a management consulting and accounting professional who heads her own firm, Dyese Prolink, focuses on corporate operational efficiency in Africa. She is also the co-author of the study, "Operational Excellence: An Untapped Disruption Lever for African Businesses," published in collaboration with the firm FinAfrique Partners. Zagba agreed to share the key takeaways from this study.

Ecofin Agency: In your report, you describe operational excellence as an “untapped lever” for African companies, even though it’s a key driver of competitiveness elsewhere. Do you see this excellence as an adaptation of global models like Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen, or as something uniquely African, shaped by local culture, economics, and talent?

Manuella Zagba: Our study shows clearly that operational excellence in Africa cannot be achieved by simply replicating international models. Sustainable performance only emerges when these frameworks are adapted and combined with Africa’s on-the-ground realities, its structural constraints, the influence of the informal economy, and limited resources.

The agility of African businesses, their ability to adapt despite infrastructure gaps, and their culture of ingenuity provide fertile ground for developing a distinctly African form of operational excellence.

This insight opens an unexpected perspective: what many see as obstacles can actually become sources of competitive advantage. The agility of African businesses, their ability to adapt despite infrastructure gaps, and their culture of ingenuity provide fertile ground for developing a distinctly African form of operational excellence.

This is not about lowering standards, but about turning constraints into opportunities. The organizations that achieve lasting success are those that manage to transform local realities into drivers of differentiation. In that sense, a contextualized approach is the only viable path to building sustainable, truly African excellence.

Your study highlights several high-performing companies but also points to wide variations in maturity and approach. Did you establish a common framework for assessing what you call “African operational excellence”? And what key indicators did you use to compare the organizations you analyzed?

Our findings are worrying: nearly 70% of the organizations surveyed have no formal process mapping in place, not even for their most critical operations. As a result, they lack a clear view of their real costs, the risks they face, and potential areas for improvement. In short, they operate without a dashboard.

To address this, we developed a practical evaluation framework built around five components. Each priority process is rated from 0 to 5 according to several criteria.

The first is time performance, how long it takes to make a decision, deliver a product, or meet a commitment, measured through indicators such as Time-to-Yes, Time-to-Deliver, and OTIF (On Time In Full).

The second is quality, assessed through First-Pass Yield (FPY), error rates, and customer returns.

The third is cost, evaluated via cost-to-serve, productivity levels, and the share of manual tasks. We also incorporate customer experience, using metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), First Contact Resolution (FCR), and complaint resolution times.

Finally, we assess risk through key control indicators, recorded incidents, and auditability.

The specific metrics used for comparison vary by industry. In banking, they include Time-to-Yes, SME loan processing, account opening, and complaint management. In manufacturing, they focus on the order-to-delivery cycle, FPY, scrap rates, inventory days, and OTIF. In services, we track average processing time, onboarding, and IT incident management, measured by Mean Time to Repair (MTTR).

Our cross-sector benchmarks reveal substantial gaps. In banking, for example, the time required to approve an SME loan range from 9 to 60 days across institutions, compared with a target of 15 days. In manufacturing, customer complaint resolution can take between 5 and 12 days, whereas the benchmark is 2 days.

Our cross-sector benchmarks reveal substantial gaps. In banking, for example, the time required to approve an SME loan range from 9 to 60 days across institutions, compared with a target of 15 days. In manufacturing, customer complaint resolution can take between 5 and 12 days, whereas the benchmark is 2 days. These disparities show that a shared framework is not only feasible but indispensable. It enables companies to measure themselves objectively, identify areas for improvement, and launch continuous improvement initiatives based on comparable data.

You stress how much people and culture matter, especially since hierarchy, communication, and teamwork often work differently in African organizations. How do these cultural realities affect the way excellence programs are put into practice? And could they actually turn into a competitive advantage?

Africa’s cultural traits are not barriers to performance; they are realities that must be intelligently built into any operational excellence strategy.

Take decision-making, for instance. In many of the organizations we studied, a simple purchase can require four to seven layers of approval. One Mauritanian CEO put it bluntly: “Everything goes through me, even buying an ink cartridge. I spend 40% of my time authorizing requests that could be handled by my teams.”

This deeply rooted hierarchical culture, inherited from traditional structures, often creates bottlenecks that slow down entire organizations. The real challenge is not to eliminate hierarchy, which would be unrealistic, but to reconcile it with operational efficiency.

This deeply rooted hierarchical culture, inherited from traditional structures, often creates bottlenecks that slow down entire organizations. The real challenge is not to eliminate hierarchy, which would be unrealistic, but to reconcile it with operational efficiency.

In practice, companies approach this in several ways. When hierarchy runs deep, some firms avoid bypassing existing reporting lines. Instead, they appoint trusted “process owners” who can bridge departments and smooth coordination without upsetting internal balance.

Similarly, in environments where communication is primarily oral, these companies avoid excessive paperwork. They rely instead on simple visual tools such as clear charts, process maps, and, above all, direct dialogue. This participatory approach often reveals the gaps between how processes are supposed to work and how they actually do.

One Cameroonian company, for example, holds weekly team sessions where employees propose improvements. This turns continuous improvement into a shared responsibility rather than a top-down directive

Finally, the collective mindset and social trust embedded in African cultures can become powerful drivers of engagement. One Cameroonian company, for example, holds weekly team sessions where employees propose improvements. This turns continuous improvement into a shared responsibility rather than a top-down directive.

Our belief is clear: the African companies that succeed in transforming themselves will be those able to design hybrid governance models that combine operational efficiency with cultural authenticity. That, we believe, is where the continent’s true competitive edge lies.

You describe digitalization and automation as powerful drivers of transformation. Yet your study shows that many African companies still struggle to define a clear technology strategy. Which technologies do you see as the most promising today for boosting operational performance in Africa? And are you seeing genuinely local innovations emerging in this space?

Technology is undeniably a catalyst for transformation, as long as it is applied selectively and pragmatically. The real risk lies in trying to replicate Western models that fail to reflect local realities.

In my view, three technologies stand out as genuine game changers. The first is hybrid solutions. Given the continent’s often unstable connectivity, African companies have innovated by developing applications that can operate offline and automatically synchronize once the connection is restored. This combination of local storage and cloud functionality gives these tools a resilience that many Western systems, which depend heavily on constant connectivity, do not have. In this case, constraint has become a driver of innovation.

The second is intelligent automation. In many organizations, between 30% and 40% of work time is still spent on repetitive manual tasks, leaving enormous room for transformation. Our research shows that up to 45% of administrative activities could be automated, allowing skilled employees to focus on higher-value work. One CEMAC-based bank, for example, cut its loan approval time in half by automating document collection and introducing an automated scoring system.

The USSD protocol enables transactions without internet access, allowing services like Orange Money, MTN Mobile Money, and Wave to transform the payments landscape by adapting to local conditions instead of ignoring them.

The third is mobile-first technology and USSD, which represent African innovation at its best. The USSD protocol enables transactions without internet access, allowing services like Orange Money, MTN Mobile Money, and Wave to transform the payments landscape by adapting to local conditions instead of ignoring them.

Yet a crucial link is still missing: local innovation. A vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem is emerging in the digital, energy, and infrastructure sectors, but large African corporations remain hesitant to embrace open innovation or partner with the continent’s tech startups. The report, The State of Tech in Africa 2023, highlights this gap clearly. Even more concerning is the limited investment in research and development across African companies. Simply importing foreign technologies will not be enough. The continent’s true disruptive potential lies in empowering local talent to design solutions that genuinely respond to African realities.

Your study refers to measurable gains in efficiency, quality, and turnaround times. You mention companies that have shortened production cycles or improved customer service, but the report doesn’t always include the figures. Could you share some concrete examples of African companies that have achieved strong results through operational excellence? And which sectors seem to be the most advanced in this regard?

Our research shows remarkable results, although they remain uneven across sectors. Several concrete examples illustrate the progress achieved in different industries.

In banking, the most striking improvements have been recorded. At one bank in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), customer complaint handling was a major pain point: delays often extended over several weeks, breaching BCEAO Circular 02, which sets a 30-day maximum. The solution involved centralizing complaints under a single contact point, clarifying responsibilities using a RACI matrix, and removing non-value-added steps. As a result, processing times were cut by half, regulatory compliance was restored, and customer confidence improved.

At a bank in the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC), the challenge lay in processing personal loans. Incomplete files and slow reviews meant that average response times for SMEs—the “Time to Yes”—often stretched over several weeks. By digitalizing document collection, standardizing guarantees, and training account managers, the bank reduced approval times from 30 days to 13. This helped the institution enter the top five in its domestic market while also reducing its cost of risk.

In Côte d’Ivoire, a manufacturer introduced a digital suggestion box to promote participatory innovation. The outcome exceeded expectations: 60% of implemented ideas came from shop-floor employees. These initiatives delivered substantial savings while increasing worker engagement.

Industry has also made significant progress. In Burkina Faso, a brewery integrated solar panels and biomass boilers into its operations, cutting energy costs by 30% to 35%. In Côte d’Ivoire, a manufacturer introduced a digital suggestion box to promote participatory innovation. The outcome exceeded expectations: 60% of implemented ideas came from shop-floor employees. These initiatives delivered substantial savings while increasing worker engagement.

In services, efficiency and customer satisfaction have been at the center of initiatives. In Cameroon, a distribution company launched a monthly newsletter to showcase internal innovation and incorporated creativity into annual employee evaluations. This approach helped instill a lasting culture of continuous improvement and fostered healthy competition between teams.

Overall, banking and financial services remain the most advanced sectors in this transformation. Three main factors explain this lead: regulatory pressure from central banks (BCEAO and BEAC), growing competition from fintechs, and profit margins that allow for sustained investment in transformation projects. The industrial sector follows closely, particularly in agri-food and brewing, where energy and logistics constraints make innovation a matter of survival.

You mention that in a lot of African firms, leadership itself can sometimes slow down transformation, often because there’s not enough delegation or clarity in processes. How can leaders actually turn a culture of excellence into reality? Should they set up dedicated teams, build new KPIs, or rethink governance?

That is indeed the key question. Our study reveals a striking paradox: while 89 percent of African executives view operational excellence as a strategic priority, 67 percent admit they do not know how to implement it. This gap points to a fundamental methodological issue. Leaders understand what needs to be done, but not how to do it.

Centralized decision-making also drains leaders, who often become bogged down in day-to-day operations instead of focusing on strategy

As a result, most companies are moving forward without a clear direction. They lack a specific roadmap for excellence, a structured transformation plan, or even a measurable baseline from which to start. Centralized decision-making also drains leaders, who often become bogged down in day-to-day operations instead of focusing on strategy.

To move from rhetoric to action, several key levers must be activated. The first is to make excellence a formal part of the strategic agenda. This requires more than statements of intent. It means setting a clear, time-bound vision with measurable goals such as cutting lead times by 40 percent or reducing costs by 15 to 25 percent, backed by a board-approved budget and a detailed roadmap with milestones.

Another crucial step is to establish a dedicated, multi-level governance structure. An appropriate framework must exist at every level: a strategic steering committee at the board or executive level for quarterly follow-ups; program managers overseeing projects within departments; and at the operational level, cross-functional process owners coordinating performance from end to end. The key innovation lies in this last role. These process owners are respected staff members who bridge departments without undermining hierarchy. They do not bypass authority; they align it.

Excellence also depends on integrating performance indicators across all dashboards. Metrics should flow consistently from top to bottom. For senior management, this means tracking overall ROI, cost savings, or customer satisfaction. For business units, relevant indicators include cycle time, error rates, or productivity levels. For team leaders, it may involve the number of proposed and implemented improvements. Even annual employee evaluations should assess each person’s contribution to innovation.

High-performing companies reinforce this system through genuine performance rituals. Many hold weekly team reviews where employees propose improvements, organize quality circles to analyze recurring issues, conduct systematic feedback sessions after projects, and recognize achievements through internal newsletters or symbolic bonuses.

Finally, formal delegation remains one of the biggest cultural challenges. Embedding excellence requires clear delegation frameworks that define who decides what, responsibility matrices for key processes, and decision-making training for middle managers. Above all, it calls for a cultural understanding that delegation does not mean losing control.

Our belief is simple: excellence cannot be decreed; it must be lived. It is not about creating an isolated “Excellence Department” disconnected from the field. It takes root when leaders embody it daily, when every department makes it part of its objectives, when cross-functional governance coordinates rather than complicates, when KPIs make progress visible, and when recognition celebrates those who contribute. Above all, excellence is a shift in mindset, not a new structure. That is the real difference between intention and true transformation.

Your study shows that a lot of companies start strong with excellence programs but can’t seem to keep them going because of weak follow-up or lack of resources. What needs to be in place to make these initiatives stick? And how can they avoid losing steam after the first burst of enthusiasm?

This is the most critical challenge. Our findings are clear: 80 percent of executives acknowledge a major shortfall in employee support and training. This gap largely explains why so many transformation initiatives lose momentum. Several factors combine to create a persistent obstacle. Many organizations lack a structured, long-term training plan and the infrastructure needed for modern learning, including online programs. Training is also too often viewed as a cost rather than an investment, which leads to poor resource allocation. High staff turnover further discourages long-term training efforts, while constant understaffing makes it difficult to free employees for development activities.

The result is a vicious cycle: the shortage of skills slows transformation, while the absence of transformation prevents skills from being developed. For any initiative to endure, six conditions are essential.

First, excellence must be embedded in company culture rather than treated as a temporary project. Continuous improvement has to become a shared, daily responsibility, not a one-off initiative. A Cameroonian company, for example, introduced a simple yet powerful rule: every weekly meeting begins with the question, “What did we improve this week?” This seemingly modest practice shifts mindsets in a lasting way without the need for grand declarations.

Second, strong investment in training is vital. High-performing organizations certify their managers in Lean Management and the PDCA cycle, offer Six Sigma Green Belt programs for executives, and consistently train frontline teams in digital skills.

Third, permanent innovation mechanisms must be created. These include accessible suggestion platforms, either digital or physical depending on resources, suggestion boxes with systematic follow-up, quality circles in each department to analyze recurring issues, and internal innovation contests with meaningful recognition.

Excellence should also be reflected in individual performance evaluations. Contributions to innovation must count toward annual appraisals. Some banks in the CEMAC region, for instance, promote employees who have successfully led Lean or digital projects. The message is clear: innovation is not optional; it is an expected part of the job.

Another condition is the establishment of a robust performance monitoring system. This includes an integrated dashboard that tracks effectiveness (cycle times, service-level compliance), efficiency (unit costs, ROI), quality (error rates, customer satisfaction), and innovation (the number of improvements proposed and implemented). Regular performance reviews and clear escalation procedures must reinforce this system.

Finally, resilience and continuity are essential. In an African context often affected by interruptions in electricity, connectivity, or stability, business continuity planning is crucial. Companies must identify their critical processes, set up backup power and system solutions, ensure secure data storage, and conduct regular stress tests.

In the end, long-term sustainability depends on three aligned pillars: a culture that makes continuous improvement a shared value, skills strengthened through ongoing training, and recognition systems that sustain engagement over time. Without these three elements working together, any initiative will eventually lose momentum once the initial excitement fades.

Your conclusion calls for an African performance roadmap and regional collaboration to consolidate best practices. Do you foresee this evolving into a pan-African network, an observatory, or even a continental index of operational excellence? How do you imagine this cooperation among the continent’s stakeholders being structured?

When we talk about an “African performance roadmap,” it is not yet a formal or institutional project, but rather a call to collective action. The priority for now is to focus on simple, concrete, and immediately practical measures that can strengthen existing cooperation. This means sharing benchmarks, encouraging cross-sector exchanges, and spreading best practices. If these initial efforts succeed in creating lasting momentum, a pan-African network or even an observatory could then emerge naturally.

Interview, in French, by Idriss Linge,

English Adaptation By Mouka Mezonlin

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