2026 Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Programme – A Premier Leadership Path for Africa

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship (also known as the Ibrahim Leadership Fellowship) is a premier, fully funded 12-month fellowship designed to cultivate Africa’s next generation of leaders. Fellows are placed in senior or strategic roles within prominent institutions like the African Development Bank (AfDB), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), or the International Trade Centre (ITC). The fellowship combines policy and strategy work with leadership development and high-level mentorship. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)

Who Can Apply / Eligibility

To be considered for the 2026 cohort, you should meet multiple of the following criteria:

• Be a national of an African country. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• Hold a Master’s degree (or equivalent). (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• Have at least 7 years of relevant professional experience. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• Be under age 40, or 45 for women with children at the time of application. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• Strong track record in leadership, policy, strategic planning, and preferably experience working on Africa-relevant issues (governance, social inclusion, economic policy, etc.). (uneca.org)

What You’ll Gain

If selected, the benefits include:

• A $100,000 annual stipend to support living expenses, allowing you to commit fully to the fellowship.
• Real, on-the-job experience in senior/executive offices at institutions like AfDB, ITC, or UNECA, contributing to policy design, strategy implementation, and high-level decision making. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• Mentorship from leaders at those institutions—heads or senior executives. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)
• A chance to join the Now Generation Network (NGN), a pan-African cohort of professionals committed to governance, leadership, and development across sectors. (Mo Ibrahim Foundation)

Key Responsibilities

In the role, you may be expected to:

• Support strategic initiatives, development policies, and regional or continental integration efforts relevant to your host institution. (uneca.org)
• Assist with programmatic and administrative tasks at senior levels (especially if placed in offices like the Office of the Executive Secretary). (uneca.org)
• Contribute to policy research, strategy development, performance reviews, innovation in institutional processes, and possibly analyze socio-economic challenges. (uneca.org)

Application Deadline & Process

• Deadline: November 20, 2025, 11:59 p.m. Addis Ababa time (GMT+3) for the position at UNECA. (uneca.org)
• Duration: 12 months for the fellowship. (uneca.org)
• How to apply: Submit required documents via email as instructed for UNECA, following the guidelines in the ToR (terms of reference). Specific host institutions (AfDB, ITC, UNECA) will have relevant links. (uneca.org)

Tips to Strengthen Your Application

• Craft a motivation/cover letter that shows how your experience aligns with policy design, leadership, and major development issues in Africa.
• Show examples of leadership, strategy implementation, or projects you’ve managed or contributed to significantly.
• Be precise about your professional achievements and how you can contribute at institutional level.
• Make sure all documents are in order (Master’s thesis, degrees, reference letters) and submitted well before the deadline to avoid technical delays.