2027 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders

If you’re building a business, leading a team, working with emerging technology or creating change in your community, this might be one worth having on your radar.

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship programme of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Since launching in 2014, nearly 7,800 young leaders from all 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have taken part. Mandela Washington Fellowship

For its 2027 cohort, the Fellowship expects to bring approximately 550 young African leaders to the United States for an executive-style programme focused on leadership, professional development and building connections with American organisations and businesses. Mandela Washington Fellowship

Selected Fellows will spend six weeks at a U.S. college or university, combining academic learning with practical leadership development and opportunities to connect with professionals and organisations in the United States.

For 2027, applicants can demonstrate experience across areas including business and trade, emerging technologies, and governance and security. The programme is particularly interested in people who can show that they are already making an impact through their work — and have a clear idea of how they want to build on it. Mandela Washington Fellowship

That makes it especially relevant to the entrepreneurs, innovators and professionals within Nairobi’s growing business ecosystem.

The Fellowship is primarily open to African leaders aged 25–35 by 13 October 2026, although the official eligibility criteria note that exceptional applicants aged 21–24 may also be considered.

Applicants must be citizens and residents of an eligible Sub-Saharan African country — Kenya is included — and must meet the programme’s other eligibility requirements, including English proficiency and eligibility for a U.S. J-1 visa. Previous Mandela Washington Fellows cannot apply again. Mandela Washington Fellowship

This isn’t simply about having an impressive job title.

The selection criteria look for evidence of what applicants have actually done: professional accomplishments, initiatives they’ve led, problems they’ve helped solve and the impact they’ve created.

Applicants are also expected to demonstrate an interest in developing partnerships with American organisations, an ability to collaborate with people with different perspectives, and a commitment to bringing what they learn back to their communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Mandela Washington Fellowship

The Fellowship’s own application advice is particularly clear on one thing: specific examples matter. Rather than making broad claims about leadership, applicants are encouraged to show what changed because of something they did and what results followed. Mandela Washington Fellowship

At Nairobi Garage, we’re surrounded every day by people building businesses, developing new ideas and finding solutions to real problems.

Opportunities like the Mandela Washington Fellowship can give that work a much bigger platform.

Beyond the six weeks in the U.S., Fellows become part of an international alumni network spanning Sub-Saharan Africa and gain opportunities to build relationships with leaders and organisations working across different sectors. Nearly 7,800 leaders have joined the Fellowship alumni network since 2014. Mandela Washington Fellowship

So if you’re already doing interesting work, don’t assume you need to wait until you’ve reached some imaginary definition of “successful” before putting yourself forward.

Your work might already be the story they’re looking for.

Applications close on 13 October 2026. Mandela Washington Fellowship

Applications are free and must be submitted through the official Fellowship application system. The programme also advises applicants to start early, use real examples and make sure their application reflects their own experiences and voice. Mandela Washington Fellowship