African Development Bank Young Professionals Program (YPP)

Benefits & funding

• Participants are recruited as salaried Young Professionals at the PL6 grade for three years; the official pages do not publish a salary amount.
• Three mandatory rotations cover 12 months of applied knowledge and experience, 12 months of stretch-and-learn work, and a nine-month transition phase that includes the final three months in the graduating division.
• The Young Professionals Learning Academy provides phased professional development, supported by coaching, mentoring, a buddy from the previous cohort, and a dedicated coordination team.
• Successful participants graduate automatically to a regular PL5 position.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be citizens of an African Development Bank member country: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Ireland, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, United States, or United Arab Emirates.
• They must be 32 years old or younger on the application date and hold a master’s degree or equivalent in a discipline relevant to the Bank’s work, with strong academic credentials.
• At least three years of relevant work experience in the Bank’s priority areas is required, along with hands-on experience in Africa and/or developing countries on another continent.
• Applicants must be proficient in English and/or French, able to work in a digital environment, and willing to live in Abidjan and travel within Africa when required.
• The Bank also assesses teamwork, communication, negotiation, leadership, project management, analytical ability, adaptability, results orientation, and commitment to Africa’s development.

Application process

1. 1
   Apply online when the YPP vacancy is advertised and complete every required question with current contact information.
2. 2
   Applicants with dual nationality must declare one eligible member-country nationality for the program and any continuing Bank contract.
3. 3
   Upload a curriculum vitae of no more than three pages in Word or PDF format, academic certificates or transcripts, and a copy of a national passport.
4. 4
   Shortlisted applicants proceed through screening, assessment simulation exercises, panel interviews, and background verification.
5. 5
   A selected candidate must accept the written offer by email within one week; appointment remains subject to medical, education, employment, reference, and nationality checks.

Program timeline

1. Application deadline for the 2026 YPP cycle.

   Nov 30, 2025

2. Once every three years

   AfDB recruits one YPP cohort through announcement, screening, assessment simulation, panel interviews, and background verification.

3. Date not published

   Program start and end dates for the 2026 cohort.