Yango Fellowship launches at 6 African countries, empowering the next generation of STEM leaders

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 20 December 2025:

Yango Group, a global tech company, has announced the next chapter of its Yango Fellowship; a program designed to unlock the potential of STEM talent across Africa. By providing mentorship, resources, and networks, the Fellowship helps participants turn ideas into solutions that benefit their communities.

After successfully launching in Zambia and Ivory Coast, Yango is bringing the program to four more countries – Mozambique, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Senegal.

The expanded Yango Fellowship will provide financial support, expert guidance, and access to a cross-country community of Fellows working on impactful solutions for their communities.

As the last years students of the programme landed prestigious internships that will help them achieve significant results in their future careers, in 2026 Yango is moving beyond country levels and builds to create a network of STEM professionals that will function after the conclusion of the year’s programme, defying borders and uniting aspiring young people from different African regions.

Across Africa, the demand for skilled scientists, engineers, and technologists far exceeds the number of graduates entering these fields. The World Bank estimates a shortage of more than 2.5 million STEM professionals needed to support sustainable economic growth across sub-Saharan Africa.

At the same time, Africa’s rapidly growing youth population faces a persistent skills gap: only 10–15% of young people have access to quality digital or technical training, and fewer than 5% gain experience in fields such as programming, data analysis, or cybersecurity.

With 10–12 million young people entering the labour market each year and only about 3 million formal jobs created annually the need for practical STEM education, mentorship, and career pathways is urgent.

By expanding the fellowship to new regions, Yango aims to help build a diverse, capable, and future-ready STEM workforce, empowering students to develop solutions for challenges faced by their communities. The program encourages collaboration, creativity, and leadership, while building a supportive alumni network that spans the continent.

Adeniyi Adebayo‏ – ‏Chief Business Officer at Yango Group, said: “Africa has an extraordinary pool of talent, who bring creativity, and problem-solving energy. The Yango Fellowship is a hands-on program designed to support these talents, connecting young innovators with the mentorship, resources, and knowledge they need to develop solutions that benefit their communities. This year, the program will be held at our African hub in Abidjan, and with its expansion to six countries, we can share expertise, learn together, and harness technology to make a real impact across the continent.” The Fellowship has already delivered meaningful impact: past Fellows have launched community projects and became role models in their countries. Yango’s local hubs play a key role in mentoring Fellows, ensuring the program strengthens both talent and local ecosystems. Beyond the Fellowship, Yango is driving digital innovation by partnering with universities and educational organizations across its markets, sharing expertise with young data scientists and IT students. Through programs like Urban Mobility Hackathons, participants tackle real-world traffic prediction challenges, gaining skills they can apply to improve their cities and communities. All of Yango’s youth initiatives are designed to empower participants with practical knowledge while creating tangible benefits for their local communities and countries. Applications are now open to university STEM students aged 18–25 in all six countries. Interested candidates can apply until January 26, 2026, at yangofellowship.com. Watch here testimonial videos of first cohort of Zambian STEM fellows.