Joseph Ibekwe Fellows Program
for Young African Professionals
2026 Fellowship
Cohorts 1 & 2
May & November
Call for Applications: Joseph Ibekwe Fellows Program for Young African Professionals at Fled International Leadership Institute, Cohorts 1 & 2
Applications Deadline:
Cohort 1: February 28, 2026
Cohort 2: August 31, 2026
Who Should Apply: Young professionals with minimum of HND/First Degree
Program: Onsite
The Joseph Ibekwe Fellows Program seeks to raise a new crop young African leaders for the 21st public leadership.
Each Cohort of the program admits only 50 young African professionals for a one-week immersive residential mixed learning experience in leadership, AI in leadership, business systems development, and political engagement.
The Program connects Fellows across countries and regions to network and exchange experiences of community-driven approaches and best practices at practical workshops onsite in Abuja – Nigeria.
PROGRAM AIMS to:
- Develop long-term leadership capacity in the participants as emerging Entrepreneurial Leaders.
- Build the skills and capacity of Fellows for effective engagement in the political space through the exchange of practical knowledge, experience, and innovative ideas.
- Provide professional and personal advice and support to Fellows to enhance their individual and collective effectiveness.
- Scale up the transformational impact of Fellows by connecting them with senior public leaders, new networks, and global opportunities for growth and impact.
The Joseph Ibekwe Fellows Program fosters the exchange of experiences from participants, as they work together to develop long-term network for professional and personal support and collaborative peace projects.
Fellows meet online weekly for one month, then spend one week in residence in Abuja.
The Online platform will keep Fellows connected, giving them the opportunity to share experiences across sectors, cultures, and geographies.
Fellows will benefit from the guidance of experienced public leaders.
REQUIRED COMMITMENT
Successful applicants will be required to attend 2-3 hours of online meetings every week for 4 weeks.
This will be followed by an in-person residential meeting to be held in Abuja.
May 25 – 30, 2026
November 9 -14, 2026
PROGRAM COST
Application fee: N20,000/$20
Program fee: N200k/$250 (inclusive of lodging, meals, books, materials, site visits, graduation & Certification).
HOW WILL PARTICIPANTS BE SELECTED?
All applications will be reviewed by the staff of Fled Institute. The Fellows will be carefully selected to ensure diversity of professional experiences, gender, and geo-locations.
Fellows will be selected based on their potential, vision for change, and commitment to making a difference in their communities.
Applicants must:
- Demonstrate a commitment to learning and impacting their community in specific ways;
- Show interest in politics, public service, entrepreneurship, and passion for public benefit;
- Demonstrate a commitment to building cross-cultural collaborations, and openness to learn about new and different approaches to resolving public issues;
- Be intellectually active and curious, unafraid to ask uncomfortable questions and able to motivate others to implement unconventional measures;
- Be available to commit time, energy, and financial resources to complete the program.
APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested, do the following:
Complete the online application form
Send in a Personal Statement of not more than 200 words, describing why this program is important to you and how participating in it will help meet your personal and/or professional goals.
Send two reference letters, that affirm your suitability to undertake the Fellows Program.
Send Personal Statement & letters of reference to email: people4power2015@gmail.com
START NOW. CLICK HERE TO APPLY
For inquiries, contact
The Program Coordinator
Joseph Ibekwe Fellows Program
Fled International Leadership Institute
Plot MF 57 Cadastral Zone,
KMC Street, Karu Site,
Abuja – Nigeria
Tel/Whatsapp: +234-7080157176