Born in Sfax, Tunisia, in 1977, Dr. Nizar Chaari has spent over three decades building bridges between cultures and empowering African youth. From his early days as a university student working in radio to becoming a celebrated media personality, entrepreneur, and thought leader, Chaari has dedicated his life to shaping the future of Africa through leadership development. As the founder of Epik Leaders, a pan-African non-profit organization, he continues to inspire and empower the next generation of African leaders through his ambitious vision for continental transformation.
Recognized with prestigious honors including the Order of Cultural Merit from the Tunisian Republic, an honorary doctorate from Weldios University, and recognition from Influences Magazine in Dakar, Dr. Chaari has established himself as a voice for sustainable development and African cooperation. His recent launch of the “Welcome Fest” tour aims to establish 100 student leadership clubs across African universities, marking a new chapter in his commitment to youth empowerment. Through his books “Tunisia in My Eyes” and contributions to “The Joy of Neighborhood,” along with hundreds of lectures delivered across the continent, Chaari has touched millions of lives while building a lasting legacy of leadership and inspiration.
1. Dr. Chaari, You recently launched the ambitious “Welcome Fest” tour to establish 100 student leadership clubs across African universities. What inspired this initiative, and how does it align with your vision that “Africa’s problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of leadership”?
Dr. Nizar Chaari: “The ‘Welcome Fest’ is the engine of our vision. It was inspired by the simple, undeniable truth that while our continent is rich in minerals, land, and human potential, it remains deficient in one critical area: ethical, practical, and solution-oriented leadership.
My vision, that ‘Africa’s problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of leadership’, is precisely what the ‘Welcome Fest’ addresses. We are not just creating 100 clubs; we are creating 100 laboratories for practical leadership development.
Traditional leadership is often confined to politics or business elites. The ‘Welcome Fest’ dismantles that notion. By establishing these clubs inside universities, we are engaging youth now, challenging them to organize, manage resources, mobilize volunteers, and find solutions to local problems, whether it’s environmental waste, a lack of digital skills, or community health. We are transforming students from passive learners into active citizen-leaders. This initiative creates the critical mass, the sustainable local network, to ensure that the next generation of leaders is trained not in theory, but on the ground, making real-world decisions before they even graduate.”
2. Epik Leaders has achieved remarkable success with events like the Africa Future Leaders Day in Casablanca, which brought together over 600 participants from 15 African countries. How do you measure the real-world impact of these leadership development programs on the participants and their communities?
Dr. Nizar Chaari: “We measure our impact in two ways: Connection and Action.
First, Connection is about building Pan-African Solidarity. The very act of bringing together 600 participants from 15 countries is a revolutionary act of tearing down psychological borders. When an innovator from Senegal connects with an entrepreneur from Tunisia, they share challenges and collaborate on solutions. We measure this through follow-up surveys, tracing the formation of new cross-border projects, and monitoring their engagement within the EPIK Leaders network long after the event concludes.
Second, and most critically, is Action. We follow the projects that emerge from these gatherings. We don’t measure success by how inspired they feel; we measure it by:
Project Launch Rate: How many participants translate their ideas into a concrete social or entrepreneurial initiative within six months.
Club Activity: The measurable impact of our student chapters, such as the number of community service hours logged, local fundraising targets hit, and partnerships established with local institutions.
The Shift in Mindset: We use innovative psychometric tools to track how our programs enhance a participant’s self-efficacy, their ability to negotiate conflict, and their commitment to ethical governance.
Our goal is not to produce charismatic speakers, but responsible builders who create tangible, measurable improvements in their communities.”
3. Your organization follows a “learning by doing” philosophy, as demonstrated through the Summer Academy in Agadir. Can you explain how this practical approach differs from traditional leadership training methods and why it’s particularly effective for African youth?
Dr. Nizar Chaari: “The ‘learning by doing’ philosophy is the antithesis of the traditional, purely theoretical training model.
Traditional training often relies on classroom lectures, case studies from distant continents, and abstract concepts. It treats leadership as a subject to be studied.
Our approach, exemplified by the Summer Academy, treats leadership as a muscle to be exercised. It differs because:
It’s Immersive and Immediate: Our participants are given real-world challenges, like designing a sustainable community project with a limited budget, or managing a diverse team under time pressure, and they are required to fail forward. They are forced to negotiate, pivot, and execute.
It’s Centered on Context: We are not teaching them how to run a multinational in New York; we are teaching them how to innovate within the unique constraints and opportunities of Rabat, Abidjan, or Accra.
This method is uniquely effective for African youth because it is dignifying and empowering. It tells them: ‘You already have the knowledge you need. Now, we are giving you the platform and the tools to prove it.’ It builds a generation that is not afraid of complexity but understands that real leadership emerges from solving real problems.”
4. With your extensive media background spanning over 30 years and your entrepreneurial ventures in media, marketing, and technology, how do you leverage these experiences to create meaningful opportunities for young African leaders in the digital age?
Dr. Nizar Chaari: “My media background is the cornerstone of my work today. I leverage that experience in three powerful ways: Communication, Network, and Branding.
1. Strategic Communication: As a journalist, I learned how to simplify complex ideas, craft a compelling narrative, and, most importantly, shift mindsets. I use these skills to frame the conversation around solutions, not just problems, inspiring young people to believe their potential is limitless. My role is now to be the megaphone for their solutions, not my own voice.
2. Network and Access: Decades in media and business have given me access to powerful figures in government, industry, and civil society. I leverage this network to create meaningful mentorships, funding opportunities, and institutional partnerships for EPIK Leaders’ graduates and projects. I open the doors; the young leaders walk through them.
3. Branding the African Leader: My marketing and media experience allows EPIK Leaders to professionally brand and promote the new generation of African leaders. We use digital platforms to showcase their work, build their personal brands, and make them visible to investors and policymakers, ensuring that the world knows that the continent’s greatest resource is its young, skilled workforce.
In the digital age, being a leader also means being an effective communicator, and that is the expertise I share: how to use the digital space to go from local impact to global influence.”
5. Looking ahead to your ambitious 2025-2026 agenda, including the Arab African Summit on Non-Profit Financing and the inaugural Epik 100 Award, what long-term changes do you envision for Africa as these young leaders take on greater roles in their societies?
Dr. Nizar Chaari: “The 2025-2026 agenda is about building a self-sufficient, sovereign future for Africa.
The Arab African Summit on Non-Profit Financing is designed to solve a fundamental systemic problem: the reliance of African civil society on external, often politically motivated, funding. The long-term change I envision is a decolonization of development aid, where African social enterprises and NGOs are primarily funded by African governments, institutions, and the African private sector. This will give our young leaders the financial sovereignty to pursue agendas that truly benefit their communities.
The inaugural EPIK 100 Award will solidify a new, meritocratic standard for recognition. The long-term change here is a shift in societal values. We will be celebrating genuine, ethical, and high-impact builders, not just political or inherited power. This will inspire millions of youth to pursue service and innovation as the truest path to success.
Ultimately, as these EPIK Leaders assume greater roles,as elected officials, CEOs, and heads of major NGOs, I envision an Africa characterized by:
Regional Collaboration: Stronger South-South cooperation, powered by leaders who share a common purpose and personal network.
Ethical Governance: A marked increase in transparency and accountability as service-oriented leaders replace those driven by self-interest.
The End of the Brain Drain: Young talent will choose to stay and build, knowing that their work is recognized, funded, and valued right here on the continent.
We are working toward an Africa where our greatest resource, our youth, is the primary architect of its own prosperous and unified future.”
Dr. Nizar Chaari’s work through Epik Leaders represents more than just leadership training. It embodies a comprehensive vision for African transformation rooted in youth empowerment, cultural exchange, and practical skill development. His commitment to building a strong pan-African community of young leaders demonstrates the power of sustained dedication to continental development. As these emerging leaders take their place in society, they carry forward Chaari’s belief that Africa’s future lies not in external resources, but in the strength, creativity, and leadership potential of its own people. Through initiatives like the “Welcome Fest” tour and the ongoing expansion of Epik Leaders, Dr. Chaari continues to prove that investing in youth leadership is the key to unlocking Africa’s limitless potential.
Learn more at: https://epikleaders.org/
