The African Leadership Academy (ALA) is an educational institution located in Roodepoort on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa, for students between the ages of 16 and 19 years old, with current alumni coming from 46 countries.

Founded in 2004 by Fred Swaniker, Chris Bradford, Peter Mombaur, and Acha Leke,[1] ALA officially opened in September 2008 with an inaugural class of 97 students.

To achieve this goal, ALA teaches a two-year curriculum in African Studies, Writing, Rhetoric and Entrepreneurial Leadership, as well as the usual academic core subjects.

Students share a dormitory, and there are modern facilities including a sports field, a 450 seater auditorium, classrooms and a dining hall.

The African Leadership Academy receives several thousand applications during the first round, where approximately 400 are selected to attend finalist events held across the continent.

Inaugural Dean Christopher Situma Khaemba was previously Principal of Alliance High School on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya.

Students from other countries around the world get the chance to come to ALA, and they learn more about the continent as well as skills related to leadership and entrepreneurship.