Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship 2027: $100,000 for a Year at the AfDB President's Office

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship 2027 is open, and one of its 2027 placements is a year working directly in the office of the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan. The Foundation puts the value of the fellowship at $100,000. Applications for the AfDB placement close on 20 November 2026.

This listing covers the AfDB track. The Foundation also offers 2027 fellowships at the UN Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa and the International Trade Centre in Geneva, each with its own application page.

Key facts

• Offered by: Mo Ibrahim Foundation, hosted by the African Development Bank
• Value: $100,000 for the fellowship period, paid monthly by the Bank from Foundation funds
• Duration: up to 12 months (a one-year, non-renewable contract)
• Location: AfDB headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, or another Bank location
• Deadline: 20 November 2026, online
• Places: the Foundation awards three fellowships a year across its host organisations

Who can apply for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship 2027

The AfDB vacancy notice sets these requirements:

• You must be a national of an African country. You can live anywhere in the world. The Bank does not accept dual nationality, so you declare the one nationality you want considered.
• You must be 40 or younger. The limit is 45 for women with children.
• You need at least a Master's degree from a recognised institution in banking, business, economics, finance, international development or a related social science.
• You need at least seven years of relevant work experience, with evidence of leadership, strategic planning, project management, policy work and financial data analysis.
• You need strong written and spoken communication and the ability to manage several projects at once.

Who cannot apply

Current, former and retired AfDB staff are excluded, as are parents and siblings of Bank staff. Serving government officials, active military personnel and political party leaders are also not eligible.

What the fellow will do

The fellow reports to the President, managing directors, the chief of staff or their designee. The work includes:

• designing and helping carry out strategic initiatives
• research and analysis on strategy, programmes and policy
• preparing briefs and memos in plain, non-technical language
• taking part in high-level discussions and preparing the President's meetings and missions

The Bank's priority areas for the fellowship are what it calls its Four Cardinal Points: mobilising resources at scale, reforming Africa's financial architecture, harnessing the demographic dividend, and building climate-resilient infrastructure while adding value to natural resources. The notice says private-sector experience and the ability to run development models are key strengths.

Benefits beyond the stipend

• The Foundation covers travel and shipping to take up the post and to return home afterwards.
• The Bank pays for official mission travel, including travel insurance.
• Medical insurance and similar cover are arranged separately by the Foundation, because fellows are not part of the Bank's staff schemes.

Two limits are worth knowing before you apply. The Bank has no obligation to hire you after the fellowship. And fellows cannot be recruited as Bank staff for one year after the fellowship ends.

Documents you need

1. A full CV showing your date of birth, nationality, education and work history
2. Academic transcripts
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. A government-issued ID, such as a passport or national ID card, for the nationality you declare

How to apply

1. Read the full notice on the AfDB vacancy page.
2. Apply through the Bank's external job portal linked from that page. Current Bank staff use the internal system instead.
3. Upload your CV, transcripts, recommendation letters and ID before 20 November 2026.
4. For technical problems with the portal, email the HR Direct address given on the vacancy page, with a description or screenshot.

How selection works

AfDB human resources screens all applications and draws up a shortlist of ten. The Mo Ibrahim Foundation reviews that shortlist, and three candidates go to the Bank President for the final choice. Only candidates who fully meet the requirements and are considered for interview will be contacted.

Tips for a strong application

• Check the age rule first. It is strict, and an application from someone over the limit will not be considered.
• Show policy and finance skills together. The role mixes high-level strategy with financial data analysis. Give examples of both.
• Ask referees early. Three letters take time. Contact referees this week, not in mid-November.
• Write for a busy reader. The job involves turning complex issues into short memos. Your CV should show you can do the same.

Earlier in your career? See our listing for the Princeton in Africa Fellowship 2027–28, a paid year-long fellowship with organisations across the continent.

Source: African Development Bank vacancy notice (posted 21 September 2026) and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation fellowships page. Always confirm details on the official pages before applying.