African Development Bank (AfDB) Young Professionals Program (YPP) 2025
- Omran Aburayya
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
If you are a motivated young professional passionate about contributing to Africa’s development and ready to step into a leadership‑oriented career path, the applications for the African Development Bank (AfDB) Young Professionals Program (YPP) 2025 are now open. This unique three‑year program is designed for high‑potential talent from the Bank’s member countries, offering a structured entry into a career in development, policy advice, and operations across Africa.
Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Programme Summary
Location: Headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – or another African duty station as determined by the Bank.
Programme Level: Early‑career professional (Young Professionals Programme) rather than degree scholarship. The YPP is a three‑year employment/leadership development programme.
Target Group: Young professionals (maximum 32 years of age by 30 Nov 2025) holding a Master’s degree (or equivalent) and at least 3 years relevant postgraduate work experience; citizens of an AfDB member country.
Fields of Focus: The 2025 intake focuses on many disciplines relevant to the Bank’s Ten‑Year Strategy (2024‑2033) and Four Cardinal Points, including:
Information Technology Management (digitalisation, AI, robotics, cybersecurity)
Agriculture; Human Capital & Youth Employment
Engineering; Investment Management; Operations Management & Programming
Procurement; Delivery & Performance Monitoring; Risk Management
Financial Management; Resource Mobilisation; Capacity Development
Governance; Natural Resources & Knowledge Management
Economics; Statistics & Data Management; HR Management; Real Estate & General Services; Translation & Interpretation; Communication; Legal; Corporate Governance & Advisory Functions.
Coverage: The YPP is a paid employment programme (Grade PL6 for the three‑year period) at AfDB, with terms and conditions consistent with international recruitment. No “scholarship value” is given since this is an occupational programme.
Duration: 3 years (36 months) with three mandatory rotations across different functions/Complexes of the Bank; after successful completion graduates are integrated into the Bank at PL5 grade.
Application Deadline: 30 November 2025.
Start Date: Upon appointment after successful selection (depending on candidate and Bank’s schedule) in 2026 (typically).
🌐 Programme Overview
The YPP at AfDB is part of the Bank’s strategic Talent Management Framework, designed to build a leadership pipeline and secure future workforce capacity aligned with its Ten‑Year Strategy 2024‑2033 and Four Cardinal Points:
Unlock Africa’s Capital Power
Rebuild Africa’s Financial Sovereignty
Turn Demographics into a Dividend
Build Resilient Infrastructure, Add Real Value
Key programme features include:
Rotation Placements: Young professionals undergo three distinct rotations:
Rotation 1 (~12 months): Demonstrate applied knowledge in a complex aligned with the candidate’s skills.
Rotation 2 (~12 months): Stretch and learn in a different complex, possibly a Country or Regional Office.
Rotation 3 (~9 months, including ~3 months transition): Final placement in a complex where the YP will graduate and integrate at PL5.
Capacity Development: The YP Learning Faculty offers structured professional and personal development throughout the programme: onboard training, customized postgraduate programmes with partner institutions, the Bank’s Operations Academy, international certification programmes, on‑the‑job training, immersion into functional areas, mentorship and coaching.
Mentorship & Coaching: Each YP is supported by mentors, coaches and buddy groups to facilitate assimilation into the Bank culture and support career progression.
Graduation & Integration: On successful completion of the mandatory rotations, learning faculty, performance standards and ethics requirements, the YP is integrated into AfDB at Grade PL5 as a regular staff member.
🎁 Programme Benefits
A structured three‑year leadership development programme at AfDB with defined rotations, training and mentorship.
Exposure to the Bank’s operations across Africa, development projects, policy advisory work and cross‑functional experience.
Professional growth in a multinational, multilingual, multicultural environment, aligned with Africa’s transformation agenda.
Competitive remuneration and employment terms at PL6 grade for the programme duration; potential progression to PL5 staff level upon completion.
Opportunities to work in key strategic areas (digitalisation, agriculture, infrastructure, youth employment, economic integration) that match your professional aspirations.
Access to on‑the‑job learning, customized postgraduate or certification opportunities, and mentoring/coaching support.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the YPP 2025 intake you must meet the minimum requirements:
Be a citizen of one of the AfDB member countries.
Be 32 years of age or younger by 30 November 2025.
Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in any discipline relevant to the Bank’s business, with outstanding academic credentials.
Have at least 3 years’ post‑graduate work experience in areas related to the Bank’s Ten‑Year Strategy or Four Cardinal Points.
Demonstrable hands‑on experience on the African continent or other developing regions.
Strong passion for Africa’s development and transformation.
Ability to work effectively in teams, coach others, adapt to diverse environments, demonstrated leadership, negotiation, client orientation, project management, analytical capacity, innovation mindset.
Proficiency in English or French (written and oral); working knowledge of the other language is an advantage.
Competence in standard MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); knowledge of SAP is an advantage.
Willingness to be based in Abidjan (or other Africa‑duty station) and travel continentally when required.
Note: The Bank does not accept dual nationality for the purpose of this recruitment; you must declare a single nationality.
📝 Application Procedure
The application is submitted online via the AfDB careers portal for the YPP.
Complete all required fields, provide correct contact details and upload required documents.
🗂️ Documents and checklist:
A concise Curriculum Vitae (CV) (maximum ~3 pages) in Word or PDF.
Copies of academic certificates/transcripts of your Master’s degree (and undergraduate if required).
Valid national passport or national identity card showing your declared nationality.
Answer any application questions thoroughly and provide a valid email address (and alternative contact) as HR communications will go via email.
Tips & reminders:
Ensure your CV clearly highlights relevant experience aligned with the Bank’s strategic focus (digitalisation, agriculture, infrastructure, etc.).
Demonstrate your impact, leadership potential, experience on the African continent or in developing regions, and your adaptability.
Pay attention to your language skills and digital literacy (MS Office, SAP advantage).
Note the age cut‑off and nationality rule (no dual nationality).
Female candidates and nationals from certain member countries encouraged to apply (listed in official posting).
Beware of any fraud: the Bank does not charge any payments or request bank‑account information during application.
ℹ️ Additional Useful Information & Insider Tips
The 2025 cohort expects to recruit around 35 candidates.
When preparing your CV and motivation, link your aspirations to contribute to Africa’s transformation and the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points (e.g., building resilient infrastructure, turning demographics into dividend) rather than only focusing on your personal career growth.
Keep an eye on the AfDB careers portal for the official posting and ensure you apply well ahead of the closing date (30 Nov 2025) to avoid last‑minute issues.
Since the YPP is highly competitive, make sure your application is professionally presented, error‑free, and emphasises measurable achievements.
