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Common Purpose / 27 November 2025

Introducing the 2025 AFC Fellowship Cohort

45 emerging leaders advancing the future of climate resilience and collaboration across the Global North and South.

A scene of a river running through and African rainforest

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Common Purpose are delighted to announce the 45 outstanding leaders selected for the 2025 AFC Fellowship. Chosen from over 700 applications and representing 29 countries across the Global North and Global South, this diverse cohort reflects the growing urgency—and opportunity—of building climate solutions through global collaboration. 

Now in its third year, the AFC Fellowship is a unique leadership development programme that equips participants to navigate complex issues, collaborate across boundaries, and drive bold, practical solutions in their sectors and communities. Through immersive learning, expert insights, and pan-African and global perspectives, the Fellowship strengthens leaders’ ability to build bridges between the global North and South and find new ways to address the climate crisis, make long-term, systemic impact.

Running online over four months, from November 2025 to February 2026, the AFC Fellowship brings together innovators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, activists, and rising leaders who are uniquely positioned to influence the future of climate resilience, sustainable development, and cross-border cooperation.

“At the Africa Finance Corporation, we are committed to taking a lead role in protecting and regenerating Africa’s forests, grasslands, peatlands, and mangroves. We want to protect our carbon sinks through capacity building, project development and finance, verification and market making.” said Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of AFC.

A central component of this year’s Fellowship is a bold, forward-thinking challenge:

How can the world reform carbon markets to incentivize the preservation and expansion of forests, grasslands, peatlands, and mangroves in Africa and across the Global South in the interest of achieving global net zero?

Using the Common Purpose Innoventure process—an experiential, design-thinking based approach—Fellows will work collaboratively across borders and disciplines to explore this challenge in a creative, dynamic, and systems-focused way. Their work will culminate in a final presentation to a panel of senior leaders, where they will share innovative ideas and actionable pathways for global impact.

Representing a diverse range of fields

The 2025 Fellows bring diverse experiences from across climate, conservation, research, and sustainability, including: 

  • Climate policy & negotiation: Energy policy analysts, climate negotiators

  • Sustainability & ESG leadership: Heads of sustainability, ESG managers, environmental consultants

  • Conservation & restoration: Wildlife rangers, conservationists, restoration project managers

  • Research & academia: Senior lecturers, postdoctoral researchers, research officers, analysts

  • Innovation, governance & impact: Technology experts, governance managers, impact officers, executive directors of climate initiatives 

This breadth of expertise reflects the Fellowship’s mission: uniting emerging leaders from the Global North and South to drive real solutions for climate resilience and sustainable development.

Developing leaders who can collaborate across borders and sectors is more critical than ever. Each year The AFC Fellowship continues to build a global community of leaders equipped to drive solutions that are equitable, innovative, and rooted in real-world impact.

2025 participants include:

  1. Ana Vivas Thomas, Energy Policy Analyst, Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation
  2. Armand Yoka, Manager, Trading Strategy and Client Solutions, ATEX Africa/Afreximbank
  3. Ayu Kusuma Pertiwi, Co-founder, Deputy Director, Researcher, Puskaha Indonesia
  4. Azza Hashim, Climate change negotiator / ESG and sustainability manager, youth4climate
  5. Brenda Okorogba, Founder (Momentswithbren Consulting); Resource Mobilization Advisor (Crossroads International), Momentswithbren Consulting & Crossroad International
  6. Cao Wang, Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
  7. Chanda Mulenga, Impact Monitoring Officer, Biocarbon Partners (BCP)
  8. Cindy Obath, Africa Restorations Projects Manager, Natural State
  9. Ebrima Jonga, Wildlife Ranger and Conservationist, Department of Parks and Wildlife Management, The Gambia
  10. Edwin Aluku, Founder, EcoRice Ghana
  11. Ehianeta Ikhimlukar, Business Manager, Impact Group, British International Investment plc
  12. Elie Bwira, Executive Director, Climate Smart Initiatives
  13. Enitan Obassanjo-Adeleye, Business Manager, Impact Group, British International Investment plc
  14. Ephraim Mosquera, Co-founder, Executive Director, Civiora PH
  15. Garima Sharma, Research Officer, Green Impace Nepal
  16. Huihui Zhang, Postdoctoral researcher, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
  17. Jamal Naser Danesh, Senior Business Development Officer, World Vision International
  18. Jesston Williams, Executive Director, Tangelic
  19. Jonah Kondowe, Senior Research Analyst, WorldFish-CGIAR
  20. Joseph Nti, Development Finance Consultant, African Union Commission
  21. Joshuanette Francis, Founder and President, Good Humans 268 Inc
  22. Ka Ming Lok, Co-founder, EnviPro Technology Company Limited
  23. Kingsley Ahanonu, Head, Sustainability and HSE, Starsight Energy
  24. Leah Waweru, Sustainability consultant, Lybra Consulting Limited
  25. Maria Nelao Johannes, Regional Coordinator, DAPP Namibia
  26. Mohamed Alaa Eldin, Senior Finance Officer, Export Development Bank of Egypt
  27. Nan Hao, Research Lead for East Asia Program, Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research
  28. Oluwaseun Ayansola, Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP
  29. Patrica Mwangelwa Longwani, Finance and Carbon Markets W G Contact Point / Regulatory Fund Reporting Jr Associate, YOUNGO / Waystone Management Company
  30. Rebecca Abugri, Laboratory Analyst, Ghana Standard Authority
  31. Reeshabh Shayan Tupsee, Gender and Climate Technology Expert Roster, United Nations Climate Technology Centre & Network (UN CTCN)
  32. Richard Seshie, President, Association 3535
  33. Sadiya Murtala, Programme Director, WeCan Development & Empowerment Initiative
  34. Sandon Wilfried Dabire, Founder and CEO, Eazy Chain
  35. Sandra Ruhizi, Founder and Managing Director, Kijana factory
  36. Sherwit Gebremichael, Lecturer & Researcher, Adigrat University
  37. Stanley Opara, Executive Director, African Methane Mitigation and Intelligence Network
  38. Tafadzwa Makoni, Group Legal and Governance Manager, Old Mutual Zimbabwe Limited
  39. Tanmay Arora, Founder & CEO, KRESERA™
  40. Tara Bryer, Environmental Consultant, The Connectives
  41. Teresa Mertz, Project Manager Just Transition, Next Economy Lab
  42. Vikrant Joshi, Editor-In-Chief, Planet First Press
  43. Wendelyn Chijioke-Ibekwe, Policy & Advocacy Lead, Upstream Decarbonisation, Shell International
  44. Xinxi Wang, Founding team member and vice chair of board/Economist consultant, China Youth Climate Action Network (Volunteer) / World Bank (employment)
  45. Zainul Pulungan, Senior Trainer, Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources Indonesia

 

For more information about the AFC Fellowship and to download our Impact report, please visit: https://commonpurpose.org/the-afc-fellowship/



 

 

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Common Purpose

Common Purpose is a global non-profit devoted to good leadership. Its mission is to develop people who can cross cultural, social, and institutional boundaries, both at work and in wider society. It does this by delivering compelling, surprising, and powerful leadership programs & workshops. Routed in the real-world. Both in-person and online. Programs where people are having the real, purpose-driven conversations, the types of conversations we need to be having to bring about real change.

Founded in 1989 as a non-profit social enterprise, Common Purpose now runs local programs for leaders in cities across the world and global programmes for leaders from over 100 countries across six continents. Each year, 5,000 leaders become Common Purpose alumni.

Twitter: @CommonPurpose

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