The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is pleased to announce the names of the 57 Nigerians who were selected for 2023 cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship program. Launched in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and embodies the U.S. commitment to invest in the future of Africa. The Fellowship is composed of academic coursework, leadership training, and networking.
The Fellows will travel to 28 cities across the United States from June 21 to August 4 to participate in Leadership Institutes hosted by American colleges and universities. In the final week of their program, the fellows will converge with their sub-Saharan counterparts in Washington D.C. for a Leadership Summit which will feature meetings with top U.S. government officials and private sector leaders.
In his remarks at the pre-fellowship orientation reception, Charge d’Affaires David Greene said, “The U.S. Mission is committed to supporting Nigerian youth and providing them opportunities to reach their full potential, especially our Mandela Washington Fellows. We look forward to working with you in the future to deepen the relationship between the United States and Nigeria.”
Since 2014, over 500 young leaders from Nigeria have participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship. U.S. Mission Nigeria is proud to announce the 2023 cohort of Mandela Washington Fellows.
| First Name | Last Name | Track | Leadership Institute | |
| 1 | Abdulrahman | Ahmed | Leadership in Public Management | Texas Tech University |
| 2 | Abiola Nurudeen | Durodola | Leadership in Civic Engagement | The Presidential Precinct |
| 3 | Abubakar | Umar | Leadership in Public Management | University of Minnesota – Twin Cities |
| 4 | Adaeze | Menekpugi | Leadership in Business | Drake University |
| 5 | Aisha | Abdullahi Bubah | Leadership in Business | Drake University |
| 6 | Aisha | Jaafar | Leadership in Public Management | Replacement candidate yet to be placed in an institute |
| 7 | Anthony | Okoboshi | Leadership in Public Management | University of California – Davis |
| 8 | Blessing | Ashi | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| 9 | Chimdindu | Neliaku-Chukwu | Leadership in Public Management | Arizona State University |
| 10 | Chukwuemeka | Uzoho | Leadership in Public Management | Wayne State University |
| 11 | Comfort | Effiom | Leadership in Public Management | Arizona State University |
| 12 | Damilola | Oligbinde | Leadership in Public Management | Cornell University |
| 13 | Diepriye | Diri | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Michigan State University |
| 14 | Ebenezar | Okafor | Leadership in Public Management | Wayne State University |
| 15 | Elijah | Affi | Leadership in Business | Drake University |
| 16 | Gabriel | Ogunsua | Leadership in Business | Lehigh University |
| 17 | Geraldine | Ofulue | Leadership in Public Management | Texas Tech University |
| 18 | Godspower | Oyubu | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Kansas State University |
| 19 | Godwin | Henry | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Florida Gulf Coast University |
| 20 | Hashidu | Aminu | Leadership in Business | Rutgers University |
| 21 | Henrietta | Anene | Leadership in Business | Clark Atlanta University |
| 22 | Ibrahim | Hassan | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Drexel University |
| 23 | Jasper | Deebari | Leadership in Public Management | University of California – Davis |
| 24 | Jemimah | David-Makeri | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Michigan State University |
| 25 | Jessica | Oba | Leadership in Public Management | Howard University |
| 26 | Julius | Ilori | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Delaware |
| 27 | Mahfuz | Alabidun | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Drexel University |
| 28 | Mathias | Pwol | Leadership in Business | Jackson State University |
| 29 | Michael | Showunmi | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Georgia |
| 30 | Mohammed | Lawal | Leadership in Civic Engagement | The Presidential Precinct |
| 31 | Muhammad | Usman | Leadership in Business | Purdue University |
| 32 | Muhammad | Yakubu | Leadership in Business | University of Texas at Austin |
| 33 | Nkemakonam | Agu | Leadership in Business | Drake University |
| 34 | Nnanna | John | Leadership in Business | University of Notre Dame |
| 35 | Okeoghene | Akusu | Leadership in Public Management | Bridgewater State University |
| 36 | Oluwafunke | Adeoye | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Georgia |
| 37 | Oluwatoyin | Olufon | Leadership in Business | University of Notre Dame |
| 38 | Onyedikachi | Nwakanma | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Delaware |
| 39 | Onyeka | Nwigwe | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Michigan State University |
| 40 | Osato | Omo-Osemwingie | Leadership in Business | Purdue University |
| 41 | Praise | Akobo | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Georgia |
| 42 | Rabi | Sufi | Leadership in Public Management | Wayne State University |
| 43 | Saad Ayodeji | Erubu | Leadership in Public Management | Bridgewater State University |
| 44 | Saheed | Ibrahim | Leadership in Public Management | Syracuse University |
| 45 | Sandra | Orgu | Leadership in Public Management | Texas Tech University |
| 46 | Sunday | Onuche | Leadership in Civic Engagement | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| 47 | Susanne | Ogunleye | Leadership in Business | University of Nevada-Reno |
| 48 | Sylvia Chioma Chigozie | Nwosu | Leadership in Civic Engagement | Michigan State University |
| 49 | Terese | Akpem | Leadership in Business | Purdue University |
| 50 | Testimony | Asiagwu | Leadership in Business | University of Notre Dame |
| 51 | Uju | Onyekachi | Leadership in Business | University of Notre Dame |
| 52 | Uyi | Effiom | Leadership in Public Management | University of California – Davis |
| 53 | Uyiosa | Obasohan | Leadership in Public Management | University of Minnesota – Twin Cities |
| 54 | Victoria | Ogwanighie | Leadership in Business | Clark Atlanta University |
| 55 | Vivian | Ezeonwumelu | Leadership in Public Management | Syracuse University |
| 56 | Yusuf | Nurudeen | Leadership in Public Management | Bridgewater State University |
| 57 | Zainab | Ahmad | Leadership in Business | University of Texas at Austin |
The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org.
