Africa‟s enormous human and natural resources and dynamic cultures are undeniable. Despite the resources, however, many African countries continue to face intense suffering in the 21st century, which raises doubt about the continent and its people‟s ability to manage its vast resources and change the tide positively. The untold suffering in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, stems from diverse causes, which include the legacy of oppression from the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonialism, systemic poverty, bad leadership, political instability and corruption. This trajectory requires a radical shift to ethical and servant leadership that will transform the continent and its people, halt the prolonged suffering and provide adequate development and prosperity for all. Using the historical-grammatical method, this paper posits that Nehemiah‟s servant leadership model can help African leaders lift their countries from suffering to well-being. Although Nehemiah‟s model spreads across the entire book named after him, the particular text for this paper is in Nehemiah 5:14-19, which reflects the significant ethos that undergirds his role as governor during Jerusalem‟s post-exilic reconstruction of the city wall. Nehemiah‟s reverence for God, sacrifices, service, compassion for his people, justice and accountability form the nucleus of his servant leadership model, which brought relief and transformation to Jerusalem and its people. If African leaders at various levels and sectors imbibe this model, the continent and its people would witness an unprecedented reduction in suffering and move towards rapid development and shared prosperity. Although Africa has diverse contexts, the Nigerian experience somewhat represents several other countries in the sub-Saharan region. More research should focus on developing servant leadership theory from the sacred texts (Hebrew and Christian) for effective leadership in Africa.