About Us

Who We Are

Founding History

The Pan African Productivity Association (PAPA) was founded through a declaration made by delegations representing six African countries at the 7th World Productivity Congress in Malaysia in November 1990. These countries (Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and South Africa) constituted the first Interim Committee for PAPA. The declaration referred to above recognised the close relationship between productivity enhancement and sustained economic development. This initiative had the full support of the World Productivity Confederation of Productivity Science (WCPS).

Who We Are

To inspire and lead a more productive and competitive Africa for better standard of living

To be the facilitator for the African nations in addressing productivity and competitiveness for sustainable development

More History

In 1996 the proposal to grant observer status to PAPA was tabled by the South African Government at the 19th Ordinary session of the Labour and Social Affairs Commission of the OAU which was unanimously accepted by the Commission and the Council Ministers. This put the association on a par with organisation such as ILO, The Pan Africa Employers Confederation (PEC) and the Organisation of Trade Union Unity (OATUU) which were recognised worldwide. Subsequently in 2010, the African Union Commission approved the Productivity Agenda for Africa whereby PAPA was mandated to implement the Agenda.

In August 1999 the Heads of State and Government of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), meeting in Mbabane, Swaziland adopted a Declaration calling for the establishment and development of national productivity organisations within member states. The Declaration further calls for the launching of productivity awareness campaigns within the economic block.