Published: 03 Jul 2025 611 views
The Africa region of the World Bank Group (WBG) is pleased to announce the opening of the application period for the 2026 WBG Africa Fellowship Program for Ph.D. candidates and recent Ph.D. graduates who are Sub-Saharan Africa nationals. Women are especially encouraged to apply. Through the fellowship, we aim to build the capacity of the next generation of African change makers in development research, policymaking and promote the goals of reducing poverty in the region.
The program targets young talented African nationals who are completing or have recently completed their Ph.D. in an area relevant to the World Bank’s work. The fellowship program has been very successful since its inception, building a strong pipeline of young African talent interested in a career in development, in international institutions, African governments, think tanks, and academia.
The program offers selected fellows a six-month assignment at WBG offices in Washington D.C. or in country offices to gain hands-on experience in WBG operations. This includes knowledge generation and dissemination, design of global and country policies, and the building of institutions to achieve inclusive growth in developing countries. While benefitting from research and innovation in multiple sectors, fellows will also work on research, economic policy, technical assistance, and lending operations that contribute to the World Bank’s goal of eliminating poverty and increasing shared prosperity.
With 189 member countries, staff from more than 170 countries, and offices in over 130 locations, the World Bank Group is a unique global partnership: five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries. Together, IBRD and IDA form the World Bank, which provides financing, policy advice, and technical assistance to governments of developing countries. IDA focuses on the world�s poorest countries, while IBRD assists middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries. While our five institutions have their own country m...... continue reading
| Application Deadline | 25 Aug 2025 |
| Type | Fellowship |
| Sponsor | World Bank |
| Gender | Men and Women |
The program offers selected fellows a six-month assignment at WBG offices in Washington D.C. or in country offices to gain hands-on experience in WBG operations. This includes knowledge generation and dissemination, design of global and country policies, and the building of institutions to achieve inclusive growth in developing countries.
Phase I: A short-list of candidates will be selected and made available for hire to the different units of the WBG depending on the applicants’ field of specialization and interest. Applicants will be notified about the status of their application or whether they have been shortlisted or not.
Phase II:
The final list of fellows will be selected in consultation with the various units of the WBG. When the selection is complete, all shortlisted candidates will be informed of their selection status. Selected candidates will then be notified and, upon acceptance, be hired as short-term consultants for six months starting January 2026.
Fellows are eligible to receive consultant fees and round-trip economy-class air travel to Washington, D.C. or a WBG country office.
For more details, visit World Bank Fellowship webpage
