Uche Pedro, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Oluseun Onigbinde, Peace Hyde… Meet the WEF Young Global Leaders Class of 2023

The World Economic Forum has unveiled its highly anticipated Young Global Leaders Class of 2023 list. This year’s list is nothing short of impressive, featuring almost 100 exceptional individuals under the age of 40, who are making significant contributions to the world.

Among the esteemed list are twelve trailblazers from Africa who have set themselves apart in various fields, including business, media, entrepreneurship, arts, academia, governance, and financial technology. These young African leaders have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with, and their achievements have not gone unnoticed.

From Uche Pedro, founder of BellaNaija‘s groundbreaking work in digital media, to Tokini Peterside-Schwebig‘s outstanding contribution to the arts, and Oluseun Onigbinde‘s innovative approaches to governance, the WEF Young Global Leaders Class of 2023 is a true reflection of the diverse talents and achievements of young leaders from Africa and around the world.

Wadia Ait Hamza, Head of the Forum of Young Global Leaders, expressed her admiration for the 2023 Young Global Leaders Class, commenting on their exceptional commitment to addressing pressing global issues. She praised the YGLs for their outstanding achievements, stating that their leadership will undoubtedly pave the way for a better future.

Nicole Schwab, Board Member of the Forum of Young Global Leaders said, “The World Economic Forum is honoured to welcome the latest group of Young Global Leaders, whose exceptional achievements and commitment to improving the world come at a time when cooperation, partnerships and responsible leadership are more critical than ever.”

The 12 New Class Young Global Leaders in Africa are:

• Uche Pedro, Founder, BellaNaija, Nigeria
• Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ART X Collective, Nigeria,
• Gregory Rockson, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, mPharma, Ghana
• Walter Pacheco, Chief Executive Officer, Angolan Stock Exchange, Angola
• Oluseun Onigbinde, Co-Founder and Global Director, Budgit, Inc., Nigeria
• Vukosi Marivate, Chair of Data Science, Associate Professor of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• Aïssata Lam, Director General, Investment Promotion Agency of Mauritania, Mauritania
• Sakaja Johnson, Governor, Nairobi City County, Kenya
• Peace Hyde, Creator and Executive Producer, Netflix, Ghana
• Kow Abaka Essuman, Legal Counsel to the President, Office of the President of Ghana, Ghana
• Abdigani Diriye, Co-Founder, Bloom Financial Technologies, Kenya.
• Roselyne Chambrier, Chief Executive Officer, Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms (Arise IIP), Côte d’Ivoire.

See full list here.