The 13th HR Focus Africa Conference & Excellence Awards convened HR leaders, policymakers and business executives at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday 17th October 2025, under the theme, “Equity, Innovation & Impact: Reimagining Work and Talent in Africa’s Emerging Future.”

In her welcome address, the Founder & Group CEO of L’AINE HR, Dr. Ellen Hagan, framed the gathering as a continental platform to reimagine HR for people and purpose. She announced L’AINE HR’s participation in the UN Global Compact Network Ghana and a drive to establish Ghana’s first Professorial Chair in Human Resource Management with the University of Ghana.

The event was also attended by Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister for Labour, Jobs & Employment. He delivered thematic remarks aligned to the conference theme—calling for inclusion, digitally enabled innovation, and measurable impact in HR.

He emphasized aligning human potential with evolving economic realities; urged leaders to embrace AI, lifelong learning and mindset change; and challenged HR to design policies that reward creativity while empowering youth, women, persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups.

The minister also joined the L’AINE HR leadership to launch the Ghana Living Wage Report. Introducing the report, the MD of L’AINE HR said, “This report is a blueprint for fair wages, informed policymaking, and sustainable economic growth.”

Chloe Rebecca Smith, President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD UK), highlighted Africa’s pivotal role in shaping responsible adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace.

She identified nine priorities for Chief People Officers globally — from collaboration with tech departments and upskilling to measuring AI’s productivity impact — and challenged African HR leaders to lead the continent’s AI frontier. She said, “You, as CHROs, CEOs, and business leaders, are central to the future of people and technology in Africa. Great HR has great impact — and if you don’t own Africa’s AI frontier for empowering the workforce, who will you?”

As the keynote speaker, Prof. Victor Agyeman, Chairman of the Public Services Commission of Ghana, delivered a complementary keynote on “Shaping Africa’s Workforce by Aligning National Policies with the Global SDGs.” He underscored HR’s role in achieving SDGs 4, 5, 8 and 10—quality education, gender equality, decent work, and reduced inequalities—and presented case studies from Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, and Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Initiative as examples of alignment in action.

Delivering a goodwill message, Dr. Francis Eduku, President of the Chartered Institute of Human Resource Management (CIHRM Ghana), commended L’AINE HR for uniting HR thinkers and practitioners under a common vision: “Today’s gathering is more than an annual ritual — it is a declaration of collective purpose, professional collaboration, and the bold pursuit of human capital excellence in Ghana and Africa.” He reaffirmed CIHRM’s partnership with HR Focus Africa in propelling Ghana’s human capital agenda.

The conference climaxed with the prestigious HR Focus Africa Awards, honouring organisations and professionals who demonstrated innovation and impact in HR practice across sectors. To mention a few:

• Hall of Fame III (Overall Best Organization in HR Practice): MTN Ghana
• Overall Best Organization in HR Practice: Newmont
• HR Practitioner of the Year: William Easmon (Absa Bank Ghana)
• HR-Oriented CEO of the Year: Beryl Agyekum Ayaaba (EchoHouse Ghana)
• HR Team of the Year: Ecobank Ghana   

Other category winners included Absa Bank Ghana (Best Organisation in Sustainable HR Management), Ecobank Ghana (Best Organisation in Employee Relations & Learning and Development), Academic City University (Best HR in Education and Best Organisation in  Diversity & Inclusion), Kasapreko PLC (Best Performance Management and Organizational Culture), Vivo Energy Ghana (Best Organisation in Health and Safety & Workplace Design), and Newmont Africa (Best HR Management in Mining and Best Organisation in Compensation & Benefits).

Honorary Awards for Leadership & Innovation in HR were presented to Mrs. Florence Hutchful, Dr. Richard Kyereboah, Dr. Francis Eduku and Mr. Joel Omeike.

The full-day event featured thought-leadership keynotes, panel discussions, exhibitions, and networking sessions exploring how technology, sustainability, and leadership are shaping HR functions across Africa. Exhibitors included corporate organisations, and sustainability partners such as Translight Solar, reflecting L’AINE HR’s new commitment as a participant of the UN Global Compact Network Ghana.