YALS 40 Under 40 · 2026 Cohort · Nominations open Monday 17 August 2026

Africa's Changemakers

Celebrating 40 young Africans whose leadership, ideas and work are producing real change across Africa and beyond.

Nominations open17 August 2026
Nominations close31 October 2026
The Final 4015 December 2026
Nominations open 17 August Prepare Your Application View Selection Criteria

Free to enter. Nomination, application and selection carry no fee, ever.

IFree nomination and selection

No fee to nominate, apply or be selected. Recognition is never bought.

IIDecided by people

Every selection decision is made by our team and independent judges. Nothing on this list is automatic.

IIIEvidence-based assessment

Documented impact outweighs popularity, polish and follower counts.

IVIndependent judging and verification

External judges score independently; every finalist is verified.

About the programme

Recognition built to mean something

YALS 40 Under 40: Africa's Changemakers is the Young African Leaders Summit's annual recognition of forty people, aged 18 to 39, whose work is producing real, evidenced change for African communities, at home and across the diaspora.

It exists because credible recognition changes trajectories. An honouree gains a verified public profile, a growing alumni network, and a platform at the summit in Accra, and Africa gains a documented map of who is genuinely building its future.

The programme is run by the YALS 2027 organising committee and the Young Global Leaders Network. Each annual cohort joins a permanent alumni community that mentors, collaborates and helps judge future cohorts.

Who can apply

Eligibility, in plain terms

Self-nominations and third-party nominations are both accepted.

✓Aged 18 to 39 on the nomination closing date
✓African citizens, wherever in the world they live
✓Dual nationals whose nationalities include an African country
✓People of African heritage whose work clearly benefits Africa or African communities
✓Residents of Africa and of the diaspora
✓Founders, professionals, employees, researchers, creatives, public servants, civic and community leaders, innovators
Who may be ineligible?
Applicants outside the 18 to 39 age range on the closing date; previous honourees of the same recognition; applications without a genuine African connection in the work; nominations made without the nominee's consent; and applicants whose submission contains false information. Sitting judges, verification officers and members of the selection team may not apply in a cohort they help assess.
Categories

Eight categories. Five honourees in each.

Choose one primary category in your application. Open any row for examples of the kind of work that fits.

01Business, Entrepreneurship and Job CreationExamples
Building enterprises that create livelihoods. Founders and operators creating jobs, growing SMEs, opening markets, building supply chains or financing African enterprise.
02Technology, Science and InnovationExamples
Solving problems with technology and research. Engineers, scientists, product builders and researchers applying technology or scientific work to African challenges.
03Education and Youth DevelopmentExamples
Expanding learning and opportunity. Educators, school and platform builders, skills trainers, mentorship leaders and youth programme founders.
04Social Impact and Community DevelopmentExamples
Strengthening communities directly. Community organisers, NGO leaders, humanitarian responders and builders of local institutions and services.
05Governance, Public Service, Policy and DiplomacyExamples
Improving how societies are run. Public servants, policy influencers, civic accountability leaders, election integrity workers and young diplomats.
06Health and WellbeingExamples
Improving health outcomes. Clinicians, public health leaders, mental health advocates and builders of health access, systems or products.
07Climate, Agriculture and Sustainable DevelopmentExamples
Protecting livelihoods and the planet. Climate innovators, agripreneurs, conservation leaders, and builders of clean energy, water and food systems.
08Creative Industries, Media and CultureExamples
Shaping stories, culture and industries. Filmmakers, journalists, artists, designers, fashion and music entrepreneurs, and cultural institution builders.
How to enter

Two routes in. One application standard.

Route one

Nominate yourself

  1. Start your application from this page
  2. Receive your personal application link by email
  3. Complete the multi-step form, saving and returning any time
  4. Upload your supporting evidence
  5. Review everything and submit
Opens 17 August
Route two

Nominate someone

  1. Tell us who they are and why they should be considered
  2. Provide their websites, profiles and recent coverage of their work
  3. Submit, and we acknowledge your nomination
  4. Your nominee receives a secure invitation to accept or decline
  5. If they accept and consent, they complete the full application themselves

A third-party nomination is not assessed until the nominee accepts it and submits their own completed application. Nominators never see the nominee's application.

Opens 17 August
Selection procedure

Ten stages, start to finish

01
Nomination and application

Self-nominations and accepted third-party nominations are completed and submitted.

02
Eligibility and completeness review

Checks on age, African connection, required answers and evidence.

03
Application screening and scoring

Every complete application is read and scored against the published criteria by the selection team.

04
Internal review

Trained reviewers examine each application in detail and request further information where needed.

05
Independent judging

External judges score longlisted applications independently of the internal review.

06
Verification and referee checks

Identity, roles, major claims and referees are checked for every provisional finalist.

07
Final moderation

A moderation panel balances quality, evidence, categories, regions and gender to settle the cohort.

08
Confidential notification

Selected applicants are told privately and asked to accept under embargo.

09
Public announcement

The full cohort is announced and profiled on this page.

10
Recognition and summit engagement

Certificates, badges, the alumni network, and recognition at the Young African Leaders Summit.

Assessment criteria

How 100% of your score is made up

Seven criteria. Each ring shows its exact weight in your assessment.

30%
Demonstrable impact

What actually changed: people reached, outcomes, scale, evidence.

15%
Leadership & personal contribution

Your own role and decisions, apart from your organisation's.

15%
Credibility of evidence

Reliability, consistency, independent support for claims.

15%
Sustainability & growth

Whether the work lasts, and can grow or be replicated.

10%
Innovation & problem-solving

What is genuinely different or creatively solved.

10%
Values, integrity & inclusion

Ethical leadership, inclusion, accountability, learning.

5%
Public engagement & influence

The substance of your public voice, not its size.

= 100%

Weights are fixed, published, and applied to every application equally.

A note on social media: follower numbers do not determine selection. Social media presence counts for only a small part of the assessment. Evidence of impact matters far more than popularity.
Before you start

What you will need

The application saves as you go, but arriving prepared makes it a much shorter evening.

  • Personal and professional details
  • Your main category (and an optional second)
  • An impact statement of roughly 400 to 500 words
  • Evidence of your achievements, with dates and places
  • Links to your website and public profiles
  • Two referees, at least one professional and no family members
  • Supporting documents (PDF, DOCX, JPG or PNG)
  • A 90 second video, or an audio or written alternative
  • A high-resolution professional headshot
  • Your consent and declarations
Benefits

What the final 40 receive

Recognition

  • The official YALS 40 Under 40 title
  • Personalised certificate with a unique verification number
  • Digital badge for your profiles and signature
  • Official recognition letter

Visibility

  • Your profile on the YALS webpage
  • Feature in the official digital publication
  • Social media announcement
  • Press release template for your local media
  • Interview and media opportunities

Access

  • Invitation to the recognition ceremony
  • Consideration for relevant speaking and panel opportunities
  • Access to selected YALS activities
  • Appropriate introductions and collaboration opportunities

Community

  • Membership of the YALS 40 Under 40 alumni network
  • Private honouree community
  • Mentoring and collaboration opportunities
  • Eligibility for future judging and advisory roles

Summit participation

  • 50% reduction on the standard summit registration fee
  • One discounted place for a guest or colleague
  • A personal promotional code for your wider network
  • Recognition during the summit programme in Accra

Summit attendance is optional. Honourees keep the recognition whether or not they attend. Travel, visa, accommodation and personal expenses are not included. The recognition does not include a cash prize, and speaking places are not guaranteed.

Key dates

The road to the announcement

Every date below is managed from the administration area and shown here automatically.

Stage 1Nominations openMonday 17 August 2026
Stage 2Nominations closeSaturday 31 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT
Stage 3Review & judgingNovember 2026
Stage 4Verification & refereesLate November to early December
Stage 5Confidential notification7 to 14 December 2026
Stage 6The Final 40 announced15 December 2026
Stage 7Recognition ceremonyAt YALS 2027, Accra, 25 to 27 November
Stage 8Alumni network beginsFrom announcement, ongoing
Frequently asked questions

Answers, before you ask

Is nomination free?
Yes. Nomination, application and selection are completely free, and no honouree ever pays to receive the recognition.
Can I nominate myself?
Yes. Self-nomination is encouraged and carries no disadvantage compared with being nominated by someone else.
Can I nominate someone else?
Yes. You provide their details, websites, recent coverage of their work, and why they should be considered; they then receive a secure invitation.
What happens after I nominate someone?
We acknowledge your nomination and invite the nominee by email. Nothing is assessed unless they accept, consent, and complete the full application themselves. You will not see their application.
Can someone living outside Africa apply?
Yes. The programme is open to Africans in the diaspora and to people of African heritage whose work clearly benefits Africa or African communities.
What is the age requirement?
You must be aged 18 to 39 on the nomination closing date. The system calculates this from your date of birth and the configured closing date.
Can previous unsuccessful applicants apply again?
Yes. Reapplying in a later cohort is welcome, and many strong candidates succeed on a second application.
Can a previous honouree apply again?
No. Previous honourees are not eligible for the same recognition again, though they may be invited into judging, advisory and alumni roles.
Do follower numbers affect selection?
No. Public engagement counts for just 5% of the assessment and is judged on substance, meaning education, advocacy and the communities you build, not follower counts.
What evidence should I provide?
Anything that independently supports your claims: reports, coverage, publications, certificates, letters of support, project records and measurable results with dates and locations.
Is a video compulsory?
No. A 90 second video is preferred, but an audio recording or a short written statement is fully accepted. Production quality, accent and equipment are never judged.
What photograph should I upload?
A recent, clear, head-and-shoulders professional headshot in portrait format on an uncluttered background, with no filters, screenshots, group photos or ID-document images.
Is summit attendance compulsory?
No. Selection is not conditional on attending the Young African Leaders Summit, and honourees keep the recognition whether or not they attend.
Do honourees receive free summit places?
No. Honourees receive a 50% reduction on the standard registration fee, one discounted guest place, and a promotional code for their network. Travel and accommodation are separate.
Is there a cash prize?
No. The recognition carries no cash prize. Its value is the verified title, visibility, network and platform.
Will referees be contacted?
Yes, but only at the verification stage for provisional finalists, never automatically at submission. Referee responses remain confidential.
Can applicants appeal?
There is no appeal against judges' scores. A limited process review is available where you believe eligibility was misapplied, applications were confused, information was lost, or the published process was not followed.
When will successful applicants be contacted?
Provisionally selected applicants are contacted confidentially after verification begins, ahead of the public announcement, and asked to accept under embargo.
Can YALS withdraw the recognition?
Yes. False information, fabricated evidence or serious integrity findings can result in removal from the process or withdrawal of the recognition after award.
The 2026 Cohort awaits

Forty names. One continent watching.

Nominations close on Saturday 31 October 2026 at 23:59 GMT. Free to enter. Decided by people. Built on evidence.

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