28 October 2025, Birchwood Hotel, SOUTH AFRICA

Theme; “Africa Industrialization through Fostering Competitiveness and Value Chains on the Continent”

1. Preamble

a) The 10th edition of Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) 2025 was held from 27 to 28 October 2025 at the Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg, Republic of South Africa, under the Theme “African Industrialization through Fostering Competitive Firms and Value Chains on the Continent.”.

b) The Conference was hosted by the National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN) of the Republic of South Africa in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Pan African Productivity Association (PAPA).

c) The Conference convened representatives of AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), National Productivity Organizations (NPOs), Kaizen Institutions, the private sector, academia, and development partners to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in promoting Quality and Productivity Improvement (QPI) and Kaizen across the continent.

We, the Heads of African Kaizen Institutes, National Productivity Centres, Africa Kaizen Initiative (AKI) Secretariat, AKI Centres of Excellence (COEs) and Potential Centres of Excellence; Representatives of the private sector; Representatives of the Government of South Africa, Kaizen professionals and consultants from Africa, Latin America and Japan; representatives of organizing and partner institutions including the Pan-African Productivity Association (PAPA); The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the JICA, as well as our distinguished invitees;

2. Express our sincere gratitude to the Government of South Africa, AUDA-NEPAD, and JICA for organizing the African Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) and the African Kaizen Awards (AKA) 2025.

8. Appreciate:

a) The National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN), AUDA-NEPAD, JICA, PAPA, and the Japan Productivity Center (JPC) for the leadership and collaboration in organizing AKAC 2025.

a) All Member States, institutions, and partners who have contributed to advancing Kaizen, productivity, and competitiveness in Africa.

3. Recall that:

a) The Africa Kaizen Initiative (AKI), launched in 2017 by AUDA-NEPAD and JICA, serves as a strategic platform to promote Kaizen and QPI for industrial development, inclusive growth, and job creation across the African continent.

b) The Africa Kaizen Annual Conference (AKAC) is an integral component of AKI, providing an annual platform for policy dialogue, peer learning, and recognition of excellence through the Africa Kaizen Award (AKA).

c) Agenda 2063, the Africa We Want, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) highlight industrialization and value chain integration as critical pillars for achieving inclusive and sustainable economic transformation.

4. Recognize:

a) The centrality of firm-level competitiveness and productivity to Africa’s industrialization, innovation, and employment generation.

b) The exemplary performance of the first cohort of four Africa Kaizen Initiative Centers of Excellence (AKI-COE) and encourage others to strengthen their capacities to match their achievements

c) The need for the designated COEs to deepen the dissemination of Kaizen in their respective countries and neighbouring countries thereby heightening continent-wide awareness and ownership of AKI.

d) The 2025 Africa Kaizen Award (AKA) winners for their remarkable achievements in implementing Kaizen principles and improving productivity as well as supporting other companies though experience-sharing.

e) The commendable progress by the Republic of South Africa, through the National Quality and Productivity Network (NQPN), in advancing Kaizen and QPI initiatives, notably within the automotive and manufacturing sectors.

f) The continued support of AUDA-NEPAD and JICA in strengthening institutional capacities, facilitating knowledge-sharing, and promoting a networked learning ecosystem among Kaizen practitioners.

5. Encourage:

a) Member States and partners to allocate adequate resources to sustain and expand the activities of the COEs, thereby ensuring inclusivity and regional representation.

b) Enterprises—particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—to adopt Kaizen practices as part of their operational culture;

c) The promotion of Digital Kaizen to effectively implement the strategies of AKI.

d) The empowerment of youth and women entrepreneurs including through initiatives that enhance their productivity continued efforts to promote competitiveness.

e) Strengthened coordination among AUDA-NEPAD, JICA, PAPA, NQPN, other partners and promoters to deepen the impact of the Africa Kaizen Initiative (AKI);

f) The integration of the Kaizen philosophy in the practices of continental value chains to enhance their competitiveness and integration in global value chains.

g) The promotion of evidence-based policies in line with Kaizen and underscore the role and experiences of global partners in digitalizing the Kaizen approach and practices.

6. Commit to:

a) Enhance firm capability in availing more resources for the digitalisation of Kaizen as an enabler o of innovation and to also improve the quality and reach of trainings and practices to a larger private and public sector in Africa.

b) Motivate and encourage national agencies supporting QPI/Kaizen implementation and implementing enterprises to participate in the African Kaizen Awards.

c) Prioritize the establishment of QPI/Kaizen Institutional Frameworks and provide the necessary support to facilitate their growth into Centres of Excellence (COE).

d) Assist, as needed, Member States to adopt evidence-based policy approaches that link productivity improvement with competitiveness, innovation, and decent job creation.

7. Call on:

a) AUDA-NEPAD, in collaboration with partners, including PAPA in particular, to promote KAIZEN as a tool for productivity and innovation.

b) JICA to facilitate effective implementation of the African Kaizen Initiative (AKI) 2017-2027 framework with the goal of strengthening African awareness and ownership of Kaizen.c) AUDA-NEPAD and PAPA to encourage other development partners in Africa to facilitate their participation in AKI, and scale-up and sustain Kaizen/QPI in the continent.

d) KAIZEN/QPI Institutions to build and expand the local capabilities of MSMEs and strengthen their networks and relationships with relevant local institutions including educational institutions.

e) KAIZEN/QPI institutions, international and regional organizations, development partners, researchers, prominent professionals and practitioners from all corners of the world to increase their participation in future Africa Kaizen Annual Conferences and platforms.

Adopted by the delegates of AKAC 2025,
Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 October 2025