By Ayomide Otitoju
World Economic Forum, in partnership with Aliko Dangote Foundation, has announced the 2026 cohort of the Young Global Leaders (YGL) Aliko Dangote Fellows, spotlighting a new generation of African leaders committed to expanding opportunities and strengthening institutions across the continent.
The fellowship programme serves as a bridge between Africa’s emerging changemakers and the global Young Global Leaders network, promoting collaboration, knowledge exchange and sustainable development. The initiative supports high-impact African leaders by enabling their participation in the Forum of Young Global Leaders programme and broader activities of the World Economic Forum.
According to the organisers, the 2026 fellows represent diverse sectors including healthcare, technology, entrepreneurship and advocacy across sub-Saharan Africa.
The newly selected fellows are Esperance Luvindao, Charlot Magayi, Rewa Udoji, Stephen Modise, Musa Kika, Hatim Eltayeb, Kemi Lala Akindoju and Vimbai Masiyiwa.
The fellowship places strong emphasis on empowering women leaders and supporting Africans developing solutions to social and economic challenges while strengthening leadership capacity across critical sectors.
Over the past 14 years, the Aliko Dangote Foundation-backed fellowship has supported more than 130 young African leaders through access to Davos meetings, executive education opportunities and global peer networks aimed at amplifying African voices on the world stage.
Commenting on the announcement, Fatima Aliko Dangote, Trustee of the foundation and Group Executive Director, Oil & Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, described the fellows as leaders who would expand opportunities and strengthen institutions across Africa.
“Africa’s future will be defined by the strength of its people. When the right leaders — especially women — are empowered and given a global voice, they do not just lead; they reshape what is possible. That is why we invest in people: because it is the surest path to lasting global prosperity, stability and self-determination. The 2026 cohort embodies this vision,” she said.
She added that the fellowship was created to cultivate and support exceptional African leaders under the age of 40 by providing them with resources and access to the Young Global Leaders community of the World Economic Forum.
Details released by the organisers showed that Hatim Eltayeb leads the African Leadership Academy, while Esperance Luvindao combines clinical experience with digital health innovation in Namibia.
Charlot Magayi was recognised for linking clean energy, public health and livelihoods through her Kenyan clean cooking enterprise, while Stephen Modise was noted for promoting data-driven public health reforms in Botswana.
The organisers also highlighted Musa Kika for his work defending constitutionalism and civic space through law, while Rewa Udoji was recognised for bridging culture, finance and women’s economic literacy.
Similarly, Kemi Lala Akindoju was commended for contributing to the growth of the creative economy through talent development and storytelling, while Vimbai Masiyiwa was recognised for promoting sustainable tourism and women’s empowerment through community-driven initiatives.
The organisers noted that fellows over the years have participated in hundreds of engagements, including annual meetings, regional summits and learning programmes focused on finance, climate, healthcare, technology and governance.
