The Choices That
Will Shape Africa's Future

Immanuel Mwendwa Kiilu is the Head of Research and Policy at the Nala Center, a youth-led think tank advancing sustainable development across Africa through research, policy engagement, and inclusive dialogue. He leads research initiatives on governance, migration, human rights, and inclusive development, producing evidence-based analysis that informs public policy and supports decision making. He is also a Commonwealth Correspondent at YourCommonwealth, where he writes commentary on diplomacy, governance, and peace and security. His work has received national, regional, and international recognition, including being among the winners of the 11th Tana High Level Forum Annual University Essay Competition (2023-2025) for his paper “Empowering Africa’s Ascent: Navigating the Shifting Tides of a Multipolar World.” His interests span a wide range of themes in international relations and diplomacy.

A Political Science and International Relations student from Algeria with a strong interest in strategic foresight, regional security, and technology-driven governance in Africa. He participated in the Global Africa Tech Forum, engaging with policymakers and technology practitioners on digital innovation and regional cooperation. To complement his studies, he is building a specialised portfolio through professional certifications from international institutions, including UNITAR. His long-term goal is to contribute strategic, evidence-based analysis to think tanks and policy institutions, helping develop innovative solutions that strengthen regional security, empower young people, and support a more resilient, prosperous, and self-determined Africa.

Ann Nyagah is a Kenyan economist and public finance specialist with nearly a decade of experience across Kenya’s national government institutions. She served as Economic Policy Analyst at the National Treasury and Economic Planning (2022–2025), contributing to Kenya’s fiscal framework, budget policy documents, and macroeconomic programmes in collaboration with the IMF and World Bank. Prior to that, she held economist roles at the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Lands, and the Public Financial Management Reforms Secretariat. Ann holds a Master of Arts in Policy Economics from Williams College, USA, a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Botswana, a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Moi University, and CPA certification from KASNEB. She is bilingual in English and Swahili. Her work is driven by one conviction: that Africa’s fiscal systems must be redesigned — not merely reformed — to meet the demands of a climate-disrupted, demographically young continent.

A founder and senior education professional with experience designing and scaling initiatives across edtech, higher education, and the non-profit sector. He has led student community-building efforts, launched new programs, supported fundraising, and worked with institutions across the global higher education landscape. His focus is on creating pathways that expand educational and career opportunities for young Africans through innovation and strategic partnerships.

Ndum Charlotte Ayeah is a Cameroonian civic engagement practitioner, community organizer, and founder of the Association of Adolescent Girls and Young Women Cameroon (AAGYW-CAM). Inspired by her experience growing up in a conflict-affected region, her work focuses on removing barriers that prevent young people — particularly women and girls — from participating meaningfully in the decisions that shape their lives, communities, and futures. Through citizen engagement, community dialogue, advocacy, storytelling, and democratic innovation, she creates opportunities for young people to move from being observers of public issues to active contributors to solutions and decision-making processes. Her interests lie at the intersection of democratic governance, youth participation, gender equality, and inclusive development.

Nafisat Balarabe Abdullahi is a Nigerian youth activist, education advocate, and sustainability practitioner driven by the belief that no child should lose the opportunity to learn because of conflict. Having lived in a conflict-affected region of Zamfara State for over a decade, she transformed her experiences into action by founding Rural Path 4 Children and Women Initiative, where she works to advance children’s education, empower young people, and strengthen community resilience. Through her engagement with UNICEF as a youth leader, the World Food Forum, and the Zamfara State Ministry of Education, she has contributed to initiatives promoting education, health, and sustainable development.

Abdourahamane Dabozi Issifou is a youth leader, entrepreneur, and peace advocate from Dosso, Niger. He is the co-founder and President of Let’s Dare, a youth organization active across three regions of Niger, working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, sexual and reproductive health rights, and social cohesion in conflict-affected communities. He is also the founder of TOUBAL IMPRIMERIE, a digital printing and textile enterprise, and the developer of KIRARI, an agricultural residue valorization project targeting rural youth. Appointed National Youth Peace Ambassador of Niger, he has represented his country at the 4th Ouagadougou Partnership Youth Regional Dialogue (Cotonou, 2025) and the 14th Annual RAPO Meeting (Lomé, 2025). A Scout Unit Leader and certified SRHR facilitator, he is a final-year student in Management of Organizations and Projects at Institut HETEC, Niamey.

A Master’s student in Cultural Heritage Management at Université Senghor (Alexandria, Egypt), originally from Timbuktu, Mali. His work sits at the intersection of community development, social cohesion, and cultural heritage protection in crisis-affected regions of the Sahel. He has worked as a Community Development Officer with AMPRODE/SAHEL, addressing herder-farmer tensions and community needs, and as a Cultural Facilitator with NGO GOMNY, using Timbuktu’s ancient manuscripts as a tool for human rights education. He is the founder of LITE SAHEL, improving rural education access near Timbuktu, and of Woman Smile, raising awareness on gender-based violence in partnership with WILDAF. He currently serves as Secretary General of the SDG Club at Université Senghor.

Bekithemba Ntoni is a South African policy practitioner, researcher and strategist working at the intersection of governance, international relations and African development. He holds a Master of Science in International Relations from the University of Cape Town, where his research examined South Africa’s participation in space and how African states navigate multilateral governance frameworks. He has worked in senior roles in South African government, including as Project Coordinator for the Presidential Working Groups at The Presidency and as Policy Researcher at the Western Cape Premier’s Office. His consulting work spans energy, climate, health and digital regulation across Africa. A British Council Drivers for Change Fellow, Confucius Institute Shandong Fellow and DANIDA Youth Advisor, he has spoken at the Geneva Science Diplomacy Anticipator and World Science Forum and contributed to the Presidential Climate Commission’s Youth Perspectives.

Erick Mutura is a 20-year-old Kenyan actor, science student and emerging entrepreneur. He studies Biology and Chemistry at the University of Nairobi and participates in university chess activities. Erick played the lead role in the short film Mwanga and was nominated for Best Lead Actor at the 2021 Kalasha International Film and TV Awards. His interests include science, film, disability inclusion, artificial intelligence, space technology and African development. Through storytelling and his lived experience, he seeks to challenge limiting perceptions of disability and encourage young Africans to pursue ambitious careers. Together with his family, he is also contributing to the development of Mwanga initiatives in artificial intelligence, aerospace and related innovation.

Muhammed Onimisi Abdulmuizz is a medical student at Federal University Lokoja, aspiring to become a cardiothoracic surgeon with a strong interest in health policy. He is an aspiring non-fiction writer who loves contributing to discussions that shape health systems, and an AI enthusiast conducting research with AI tools. He is drawn to leadership positions, guided by a strong sense of responsibility and service, and hopes to contribute to the systems that shape how care reaches the people who need it most.

Cynthia Nwobodo is a cybersecurity and AI governance professional based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, working at the intersection of digital safety, data protection, and community empowerment. She is the Founder and Executive Director of CYDIGAI Foundation, a non-profit built on the conviction that people should be protected before they are connected. Through CYDIGAI, she delivers three free programmes reaching youth, women, and MSMEs across Nigeria: RISE, a digital activation programme for young people; Techitrate, a cyber-first skills programme for women; and DigitalSafe MSME, a governance and AI safety programme for small business owners. Her work has reached over 1,400 MSMEs, and she has spoken at the NDPC National Regulatory Forum, contributed to AI Cyber Magazine, and participated as a delegate at the World Bank Youth Summit 2026.

Half Senegalese, half Caribbean, Koura-Rosy Kane is a researcher, strategist and cultural advisor, and founder of PLATFORM, a research lab, strategy agency and magazine dedicated to emerging and alternative fashion, with a specialisation in African markets and Afro-descendant creative communities. Based between Paris and Dakar, her work moves between market and cultural intelligence, forecasting, foresight, and visual storytelling — building the frameworks through which African fashion is studied, valued and projected forward. She is especially interested in the choices — governmental, industrial, cultural — that will determine whether Africa’s fashion economy is authored from within or continues to be defined from outside it.

Brian Gillo is a Kenyan entrepreneur and the CEO of Terra Sat Impact, where he works to develop practical geospatial solutions that help communities prepare for climate-related disasters. His work focuses on using satellite data, geographic information systems (GIS), and local partnerships to improve flood preparedness, public health, and climate resilience across Africa. He is passionate about strengthening partnerships between governments, researchers, and communities to create solutions that are locally owned and sustainable, with a vision of an Africa where innovation is driven by local talent and data supports decisions that protect lives, livelihoods and the environment.

Adelaja Samuel Faith is a mechanical engineering student at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and founder of Verafi, a carbon measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) and registry platform for Nigeria’s carbon market. His work turns field data from Nigerian cookstove projects — collected offline on Android phones — into verification-ready monitoring reports built to the Verra VM0050 methodology, alongside direct engagement with Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change as the country builds its carbon market institutions from scratch. He is interested in how technical infrastructure, not just political commitment, determines whether a country’s climate frameworks actually deliver value.

Favour Chisom Akabogu is a Nigerian Medical Laboratory Scientist whose work connects laboratory science, public health and responsible technology. She studied Medical Laboratory Science at Ebonyi State University and was recognised as the Best Graduating Student in Medical Microbiology. Her experience includes molecular testing, virology, hepatitis B research, antimicrobial studies, and laboratory support for HIV and tuberculosis services. She is currently a PRISM 2026 Research Fellow, examining how people judge and use artificial intelligence in healthcare, with a central interest in how African research can move beyond reports and publications to become trusted tests, better health decisions and practical benefits for underserved communities.

Ashley Kasama is a Cameroonian medical doctor committed to improving health outcomes through research, innovation, and evidence-informed policy. A graduate of the University of Buea, her interests span mental health, sleep medicine, substance use disorders, public health, health economics, and health systems strengthening. Her doctoral research investigated the sleep profile of patients with substance use disorders at Laquintinie Hospital Douala, underscoring the importance of integrating sleep health into addiction care. She aims to bridge clinical medicine, public health, and policy to improve healthcare delivery across Africa.

Jenny Emem is a writer, activist, and social impact communications specialist based in Abuja, Nigeria. She has spent four years telling stories and pushing for change — contributing to national campaigns including the VAPP Act domestication campaign, the UNFPA-supported #WeCanPERIOD menstrual health initiative, and Global Citizen’s #EndExtremePovertyNOW campaign launch. Her writing has been published in Global Citizen and the Diplomatic Courier, covering gender justice, education and governance. She currently works as a Communications Associate at the Child Solidarity Group Foundation, and holds a B.Sc. in International Law and Diplomacy from Babcock University.

Jeninah Nakalyowa is a law graduate from Uganda with a strong interest in governance, access to justice, youth leadership and sustainable development across Africa. She is passionate about empowering young people, promoting ethical leadership and contributing to policies that foster an inclusive, innovative and prosperous Africa.

Felex Niwagaba is a Ugandan Development Systems Strategist committed to organizing human and economic ecosystems for sustainable prosperity. Driven to understand why individuals, organizations, and nations fail to realize their potential, his work integrates research, institutional design, and digital innovation to tackle systemic development challenges across Africa. He is currently developing the Zaza Organization, a human and economic development initiative anchored in purpose, coordination, and justice, designing integrated operating systems that optimize education, finance, healthcare, mobility, and public services to expand opportunity continent-wide.