More than 80 Emerging Public Leaders from across Africa gathered in Margibi County, Liberia for the Alumni Network Gathering. Over two days, participants, united by a shared commitment to ethical leadership, public service excellence, and inclusive growth, reflected on how a growing network of young public servants can shape the future of governance and improve public policy and community initiatives. 

"I have this knowing," Charity says. "That my life is contributing to the bigger picture."

Charity came to EPL with that knowing already clear. What she needed was somewhere to put it to work.

Read more about how the pathway Charity found through the EPL Felllowship continues to shape how she turns her sense of purpose into public impact for future generations

Esther Emmanuella Spio shares her reflections as a young Ghanaian public servant attending events on the sidelines of the 2026 Skoll World Forum in Oxford.

AfricaXchange 2026 brought leaders together in Nairobi to explore how Africa can move from ideas to action on development, markets, and systems change. In this reflection, two Emerging Public Leaders Kenyan Alumni share what they learned, and how the experience is shaping their thinking on youth engagement and the future of the EPL network.

Accra, Ghana - Emerging Public Leaders of Ghana (EPL Ghana) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, officially opened applications to the 2026 Public Service Fellowship on February 11, 2026, for young university graduates with an interest in joining the public sector. All applications should be submitted online by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Across Africa, conversations about financing democracy are growing more urgent. From sovereign endowment funds to diaspora-backed financing mechanisms, new ideas are emerging to reduce dependence on external aid and strengthen democratic institutions. The Governance Consortium’s G20 Sideline Event report explains how youth are the future implementers of these models inside government and are already financing democracy.

Emerging Public Leaders' Executive Director Abigail Kajumba shares reflections on the Public Service Emerging Leaders Fellowship program in Kenya and the upcoming launch event of the impact assessment report.

Independent evaluations in 2025 show that EPL is delivering on its mission: recruit young Africans into dignified, paid public service roles and expand youth inclusion in government

Nairobi, Kenya - Mira German shares her takeaways from the 2025 Baobab Summit, attended with her fellow Emerging Public Leaders (EPL) Alumni, Lawrence Nii Kotey Neequaye, from Ghana, and Izeecta Martha Gbollie from Liberia. The three-day summit, organized by the Mastercard Foundation under the theme “Nurturing the Future Through African Youth”, harnessed the resilience and purpose of African youth to drive progress.

Emerging Public Leaders is excited to kick off Africa Youth Month - a time to highlight and celebrate the powerful contributions of young people across the continent. All month long, we’re shining a light on the next generation of public sector leaders, the mentors guiding them, and the partners helping make their impact possible.

In partnership with Emerging Public Leaders, the Public Service Commission, and Mastercard Foundation, EPL Sierra Leone marked the launch of our first cohort of the Public Service Fellowship Program, welcoming 75 promising young Sierra Leonean leaders at a ceremony held on October 13, 2025, in Freetown.

A new chapter began for 46 young Malawian leaders, 70 percent of whom were women, at the Malawi School of Government on Monday, October 6, at the orientation ceremony for Emerging Public Leaders of Malawi’s (EPL Malawi) one-year Public Service Fellowship Program.

This year’s 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) was a vivid reminder that the conversations shaping Africa’s public service leadership happen just as often in small circles and spontaneous side events as in the main plenary. Here are five takeaways for EPL and African leadership from UNGA80:

As world leaders prepare to convene at the United Nations General Assembly in New York this September, a vibrant coalition of young public sector professionals from Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, and Malawi has a clear message: the real momentum for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) begins at the grassroots, in communities transformed by youth leadership.

On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the President’s Young Professionals Program (PYPP) in collaboration with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) celebrated the completion of 24 young professionals from their two-year public service fellowship program at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex Theatre in Congo Town.

Gender equality and women's participation in decision-making roles in Africa have gained significant attention in the past two decades. However, the road to achieving true equality remains challenging. Women across the continent continue to encounter barriers rooted in cultural beliefs and practices, institutional limitations, and unequal access to resources. While national governments, civil society actors, and international organizations have made efforts to address these issues, there is still much work to be done.

2023-25 Strategic Plan

Today, Kenyans over the age of 18 will go to the polls to elect their new political leaders. In addition to deciding who will become the next president, they will also vote for members of the National Assembly and Senate, county governors and members of the county assemblies.