In a powerful endorsement of Africa’s growing cadre of visionary leaders, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, in collaboration with the Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL), has announced the recipients of the prestigious 2025 Aliko Dangote Fellowship.
These remarkable individuals have, therefore, been inducted into the YGL Class of 2025, a global community of trailblazers solving the world’s most complex challenges with innovation, empathy, and purpose.
Now in its 14th year, the Aliko Dangote Fellowship is a flagship initiative designed to elevate exceptional African leaders by funding their full participation in the World Economic Forum’s YGL programme.
The fellowship opens doors to a transformative three-year leadership development journey, world-class executive education, and collaborative platforms that accelerate social and economic progress across Africa and the globe.
This year’s cohort exemplifies the dynamism of African leadership across diverse sectors, from fintech to education, from fashion to climate policy, and from digital governance to creative arts.
Among the 2025 Aliko Dangote Fellows is Hilda Kragah, a 37-year-old Kenyan and CEO of The African Talent Company, a trailblazer addressing the continent’s skills gap through innovative, homegrown solutions.
In Madagascar, Max Fontaine, just 28, is leading a national reforestation initiative as a climate-focused minister committed to environmental resilience.
Nigeria’s fashion industry finds powerful representation in Andrea Iyamah, a globally celebrated designer who uses her art to showcase African heritage through vibrant storytelling.
Another standout is Mark Doumba, Gabon’s recently appointed Minister of Economy and State Holdings, widely respected for his blend of innovation and public sector transformation.
Orondaam Otto, the visionary founder of Slum2School Africa, is pioneering Africa’s first Virtual Learning Classroom, bringing educational access to children in marginalised communities.
Kenya’s music scene is championed by Grammy Award-winning artist, Delvin Savara, who merges artistic excellence with a deep commitment to nurturing creative talent.
From Namibia, Emma TheoFelus, a 28-year-old parliamentarian, is spearheading digital innovation while advocating for gender equality and inclusive governance.
Salima Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation, is harnessing digital tools to advance women’s and children’s rights.
And from Nigeria, Mayowa Kuyoro, a partner at McKinsey & Company, leads the firm’s Financial Services Group across Africa, with a focus on banking, payments, and financial technology.
Together, these leaders reflect the heart of the Aliko Dangote Fellowship’s mission: to ensure Africa’s boldest minds are equipped, connected, and visible on the world stage.
“We are honoured to welcome the YGL Aliko Dangote Fellows to the Class of 2025, and into the YGL Foundation’s transformative three-year leadership programme,” said Ida Jeng Christensen, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
“Learning is the compass that guides leaders toward wisdom, empathy, and purpose, and these exceptional changemakers embody those values.”
Since the partnership began in 2011, the Aliko Dangote Foundation has supported over 130 African leaders through the fellowship.
By enabling full participation in the YGL programme, the Foundation ensures that African perspectives are central to global conversations shaping the future.
Zakari Momodu, Projects Director at the Aliko Dangote Foundation, emphasised the critical importance of African inclusion: “We believe Africa, Africans, and African issues must be properly represented at the highest levels of global conversations and decision-making.”
The impact of the fellowship reverberates through the accomplishments of its alumni.
Notably, Debo Adesina, former Nigerian Ambassador to Togo and one-time Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian lauded the initiative’s influence on his generation.
“In my 2005/2006 class of YGLs were accomplished young men and women who afterwards went to greater heights. I was inducted on the same day with Daron Acemoglu, who co-wrote Why Nations Fail, Google founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page, and Ndidi Nwuneli of the ONE Campaign, among others. Many are still making the world a better place,” Adesina recalled.
Similarly, Simon Kolawole, CEO of The Cable Nigeria and a 2012 YGL Fellow, reflected on how the programme shaped his professional journey.
“I had the most rewarding experience as a YGL. I gained invaluable knowledge through short courses at top universities and global conferences.
“The exposure to diverse perspectives was instrumental in defining my path as a journalist and entrepreneur,” Kolawole said.
Established in 1994, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) is the philanthropic arm of Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote.
With an endowment of $1.25 billion, making it the largest private foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, the ADF focuses on strategic interventions in health, education, nutrition, and economic empowerment.
Combating Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children remains at the core of the Foundation’s health initiatives.
The ADF also supports projects with the potential for high social impact, such as disaster relief, women's empowerment, and digital inclusion.
Through the Aliko Dangote Fellowship, the Foundation translates its philanthropic mission into a powerful leadership engine, one that recognises that empowering individuals can create ripple effects of progress across communities, nations, and regions.
As the 2025 Fellows begin their journey, they do so not only with the support of the YGL community and the Aliko Dangote Foundation but also with the weight of expectation to lead, innovate, and inspire.
In a world marked by uncertainty and disruption, their selection is a bold declaration: that the future of Africa, and indeed the world, will be shaped by young leaders who are unafraid to think differently, act purposefully, and lead inclusively.
The 2025 Aliko Dangote Fellows are more than just recipients of a fellowship, they are architects of Africa’s next chapter.
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