Yango Fellowship targets tech talent in six emerging African markets

Dubai-based technology company Yango has concluded its 2026 Pan-African Fellowship, a program designed to cultivate tech talent in emerging African markets. Out of more than 600 applicants, 24 fellows from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Zambia, Senegal, Ethiopia, and Mozambique were selected to participate in a 12-week intensive program.

The fellowship focused on identifying local challenges and developing scalable technological solutions. Key projects presented during the final Pitch Day included Africoded, an AI-powered platform for cross-border remote work; Harambee, a waste collection and recycling service; and Bloom, a system for cashless payments in informal transport. These projects were awarded a total of $12,000 in prizes.

Shashi Singh, Director of Operations for Yango Ride MEA & Asia, stated that the company aims to see “a couple of unicorns” emerge from these frontier markets within the next three to five years. The program has expanded from a single-country launch to covering six countries, targeting markets outside of established tech hubs like Nigeria and South Africa to foster scalable, cross-border businesses.