Announcing the AfLIA Governing Council for 2025–2027

The African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) is proud to unveil the newly constituted Governing Council for the 2025–2027 term. This dynamic and diverse team of leaders will steer the Association into its next phase of growth, relevance, and impact across the continent. In accordance with Article 7 of the AfLIA Constitution, the Governing Council is the highest decision-making body of the Association between General Meetings. It has the mandate to act on behalf of AfLIA in all matters, except those expressly reserved for members at Annual or Special General Meetings.

The 2025–2027 Council was officially introduced during the closing ceremony of the 6th AfLIA Conference and 8th African Library Summit, held in Windhoek, Namibia on 22 May 2025.

AfLIA Governing Council Members:

No.	Name	Position
1	Sarah Iyaloo Negumbo	President
2	Dr. Mac-Anthony Cobblah	Vice President
3	Prof. Rosemary Shafack	Immediate Past President
4	Dr. Helena Asamoah-Hassan	Executive Director
5	Bakary Sanyang	Chairperson, National Libraries Section
6	Ms. Mokgadi Senyolo	Chairperson, Academic Libraries & Library Consortia Section
7	Jessica Adjeley Mensah	Chairperson, Parliamentary Libraries Section
8	Lynn Jibril	Chairperson, National Library Association Section
9	Aletta Dunn	Chairperson, Public and Community Libraries Section
10	Dr. Sarah Kaddu	Chairperson, Library Education & Training Institutions Section (LETIS)
11	Richard Fodjour	Chairperson, Special Libraries Section
12	Dr. Alice Gitta Kutyamukama	Regional Representative, Eastern Africa
13	Maha Abbas	Regional Representative, North Africa
14	Mutinta Mweemba Nabuyanda	Regional Representative, Southern Africa
15	No nomination	Regional Representative, Central Africa
16	Na’Angap Daship	Regional Representative, West Africa
17	Sulemana Sogoba	Regional Representative, French-speaking West Africa
18	Tendayi Madziga	Regional Representative, Portuguese-speaking Africa
19	Doreen Appiah	Secretary (AfLIA Staff)

Co-opted Members:

• Dr. John Kgwale Tsebe – 1st Elected Past President
• Mr. Mandla Ntombela – 2nd Elected Past President
• Dr. Nkem Osuigwe – Director of Training & Human Capacity Development
• Mr. Alim Garga – Past President (2021–2023)

In Her Own Words: President Sarah Negumbo’s Vision for AfLIA

In her inaugural speech, President Sarah Iyaloo Negumbo, Director of the Namibia Library and Archives Service, delivered a heartfelt and visionary address, calling on all AfLIA members to rise to the moment:

President Negumbo outlined her leadership priorities under three core pillars: “This is a moment of opportunity. AfLIA has come a long way since its inception. Our libraries are no longer just spaces of quiet learning, but vibrant hubs of innovation, inclusion, and community empowerment.”

1. Equity in Access to Information – Promoting inclusive policies and technological solutions to ensure that every African, regardless of geography or background, has access to life-changing information.
2. Capacity Building and Professional Development – Investing in African library professionals to thrive in the digital age, especially in the era of Artificial Intelligence and big data.
3. Telling African Stories – Empowering libraries, archives, and records centres to lead in preserving and sharing Africa’s narratives in local voices, languages, and contexts.

“Let us remember that our collective power lies not only in what we know, but in what we share – knowledge, tools, experiences, and support. Let us work across borders and institutions to build the Africa we want – informed, empowered, and inspired.”

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AfLIA extends its warmest congratulations to all members of the new Governing Council. We are confident that under your leadership, the Association will continue to flourish, forging stronger collaborations and fostering libraries that transform lives and societies across Africa.