Leadership development in the Global South: Insights from the Nigerien diaspora

This article investigates internationally trained Nigerien diasporans’ attempts to enact transformational leadership after returning home. Based on a two-stage qualitative analysis, the study shows that transnational exposure fosters leadership identities grounded in meritocracy, innovation, and collective responsibility. Yet, the participants report that systemic barriers of bureaucratic rigidity, clientelism, and insider–outsider dynamics challenge their long-term engagement and meaningful contributions. The work draws on empirical data by providing an in-depth analysis of 15 interviews to propose a model that links the concept of transnational leadership training, commitment to diaspora contribution, and structural constraints. The findings highlight that para-institutional entrepreneurship and informal mentoring are becoming alternative pathways to leadership practice. A key contribution is that the mobilization of diaspora talents depends more on institutional absorption capacity than on individual motivation.