The New Leaders Lab is the local leadership-training programme within the European Union-funded Africa-Europe Youth Academy. Expertise France leads implementation with the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and local universities, incubators, or training centres.
Participants develop leadership and problem-solving skills while refining an entrepreneurial, social, or environmental project for their communities. The 2026 cohort was the first edition, and the programme is planned as one edition per year for three years.
Benefits & funding
- Participation in the programme is free.
- The programme combines thematic modules, practical workshops, individual support, and peer learning over approximately three to four months.
- Participants commit 90–120 hours and build leadership, problem-solving, project-development, and collaboration skills.
- After completing the programme, participants may compete for financial support for their project ideas; the official materials do not state an amount.
- Selected participants and other alumni may receive tailored mentoring from African and European experts.
- Any per diem depends on the local implementing organisation and country.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be 18–30 years old and resident in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, or Zambia.
- Applicants need basic knowledge of English, French, or Portuguese.
- Applicants must have a project or business idea to develop during the programme.
- They must already engage in community, civic, entrepreneurial, or leadership activity, or show strong motivation to become more active in their community.
- No diploma or specific field of study is required. Students, young professionals, formal or informal entrepreneurs, job seekers, and applicants from other educational backgrounds may apply.
- The programme encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and young people who may need specific support; this is a preference, not an eligibility restriction.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
Benin · Burkina Faso · Cameroon · Republic of the Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Ethiopia · Guinea · Kenya · Malawi · Mauritania · Mozambique · Niger
+ 7 more
Uganda · DR Congo · Rwanda · Senegal · Tanzania · Togo · Zambia
Age requirement
18–30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Complete the online application form in English, French, or Portuguese.
- 2Provide basic personal information and describe leadership experience or activities.
- 3Present a project idea to develop during the programme.
- 4Submit the form and retain the confirmation email.
- 5If selected for the next stage, attend a follow-up interview when requested by the local implementing organisation.
Program timeline
Applications opened for the first cohort.
15 June 2026
Application deadline.
19 July 2026 at 23:59 GMT
Programme expected to start.
Late August or early September 2026
Up to four months after the start
Programme duration.