Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Program 2027 ($100,000 Stipend)

Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Program

Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Program 2027

Applications are open for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Program 2027, offering a $100,000 stipend to emerging African leaders. Established in 2011, the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships identify and mentor the next generation of outstanding African leaders through a 12-month placement in the executive offices of a major multilateral institution.

Each year, three Fellows are selected to work at the African Development Bank (Abidjan), the Economic Commission for Africa (Addis Ababa) or the International Trade Centre (Geneva). Fellows develop technical and leadership skills, contribute to research and policy design, and benefit from direct mentorship by the heads of their host organisations. They also join the Now Generation Network.

Application deadline: 20 November 2026 — only three Fellows selected worldwide

Contents

• Overview
• About the Fellowship
• Host organisations
• Benefits
• Eligibility
• How to apply

Overview

Item	Details
Programme	Ibrahim Leadership Fellowship 2027
Organiser	Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Stipend	$100,000
Duration	12 months
Fellows per year	3
Host organisations	AfDB (Abidjan), ECA (Addis Ababa), ITC (Geneva)
Eligibility	African nationals, under 40 (45 for women with children)
Deadline	20 November 2026

About the Fellowship

The Ibrahim Leadership Fellowships were established in 2011 to identify and mentor the future generation of outstanding African leaders. Over a 12-month programme, Fellows gain both technical and leadership skills while contributing directly to research and policy design within a leading multilateral institution.

A distinctive feature of the programme is the direct mentorship Fellows receive from the heads of their host organisations. On completion, Fellows join the Now Generation Network (NGN), a community that continues to contribute skills and insights toward building a better Africa.

This fellowship sits among the most competitive leadership opportunities on the continent, comparable to programmes such as the YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Africans.

Host organisations

Each year, three Fellows are placed in the executive offices of:

Host	Location
African Development Bank (AfDB)	Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
International Trade Centre (ITC)	Geneva, Switzerland

You apply to one host organisation, not to the Foundation. Each has its own portal and its own additional criteria, so choose the institution whose mandate genuinely matches your professional background before you start the application.

Benefits

$100,000

Stipend over a 12-month placement

• A 12-month placement in the executive office of a major multilateral institution
• A stipend of $100,000
• Direct mentorship from the heads of host organisations
• Hands-on contribution to research and policy design
• Membership of the Now Generation Network (NGN)

Eligibility

• Be a national of an African country
• Hold a Master's degree
• Have a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience
• Be under the age of 40 (or 45 for women with children)
• Meet any additional criteria set by the host organisation

The Master's degree is a hard requirement, and seven years of experience means most candidates are already mid-career. If you have the experience but not the qualification, Unicaf offers partial scholarships for online Master's and doctoral degrees you can complete from anywhere in Africa while staying in your current role.

How to apply

Applications are submitted directly to the host organisation of choice through the following channels:

Host	Application channel
AfDB (Abidjan)	African Development Bank vacancy portal
ITC (Geneva)	United Nations careers portal
ECA (Addis Ababa)	UNECA vacancy announcement

Full details are available on the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Fellowships page. The application deadline is 20 November 2026.

Apply before 20 November 2026

Candidates interested in leadership and innovation pathways for Africa may also consider the Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship and the UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations.

Read also

• YALI Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Africans
• Jim Leech Mastercard Foundation Fellowship on Entrepreneurship
• UNECA Continental Call for African AI Innovations

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