This document summarizes various programs, forecasts, and initiatives related to Africa in 2025, touching on leadership, economic growth, and specific sectors like healthcare and technology.

• African Leadership Academy (ALA): ALA is an educational institution seeking young leaders aged 15-18 from across Africa for a two-year pre-university program, with financial assistance available. Applications for the Class of 2026 will open on July 1, 2025. ALA also offers a Global Scholars Program (GSP) for secondary school students ages 13-19 during the school holidays from June to August.
• Mandela Washington Fellowship: In the summer of 2025, 26 U.S. educational institutions will host Leadership Institutes for 650 young African leaders.
• UNDP Africa Regional Cybersecurity Training Programme: The second cohort of the Regional Cybersecurity Training Programme seeks 150 young people from across West and Central Africa.
• WE Africa: Applications for the WE Lead 2025 Cohort are open to women leaders across Africa to drive transformative change within the environmental movement.
• Fonseca Leadership Program in Africa: This program supports rising African conservation leaders pursuing Masters or Ph.D. degrees.
• HP Digital Equity Accelerator: HP announced its 2025 Digital Equity Accelerator cohort, including a cohort in Nigeria. The program provides a USD $100,000 grant.

• Economic Growth: The African Development Bank projects an annual economic growth rate of 4.3% for Africa in 2025, up from 3.7% in the previous year, with East Africa expected to be the most buoyant region. The UN forecasts Africa's economic growth to improve to 3.7% in 2025 and 4.0% in 2026, driven by recoveries in major economies. The IMF expects economic recovery to continue in Sub-Saharan Africa, with growth projections reaching 4.0% in 2025.
• Vulnerabilities: Reliance on foreign markets, volatile commodity exports, high debt, and weak infrastructure have deepened Africa’s vulnerabilities.
• Intra-African Trade: Intra-African trade remains a significant opportunity but accounts for only 16% of its total trade.
• Key Priorities: Inclusive economic growth, food security, and artificial intelligence are South Africa’s priorities for its G20 presidency.
• Africa's 500 top companies: the continent's 2025 ranking of African companies indicates macro-economic factors such as currency depreciation, inflation, and commodity prices significantly impacted the companies.
• South Africa's Economic Growth: South Africa's 2025 economic growth forecast was cut to 1.5% due to tariff worries.

• Healthcare: The African Economic Outlook 2024 identifies strategic investments in key Sustainable Development Goal areas such as education, energy, productivity-enhancing technology and innovation, and productive transport infrastructure as essential for structural transformation.
• HealthTech Hub Africa Accelerator Program: A program is calling African innovators to transform healthcare.
• Digital Economy: Internet availability can increase jobs and reduce poverty in African countries, offering a historic opportunity to leapfrog into the fast-growing global digital economy.

• Demographic Trends: By 2050, one in four people worldwide will be African, with a significant portion being young people.
• Resource Wealth: Africa holds a substantial share of the world's reserves of various minerals, including platinum, chromium, manganese, and cobalt.
• AfCFTA: The African Continental Free Trade Area offers a pathway to reduce dependence on global markets and enhance resilience.