More than 150 Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for the 2026 Alumni Forum on U.S.-Africa Commercial Partnerships, a three-day event focused on expanding trade, investment, and business collaboration between the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Forum brought together Fellowship Alumni, U.S. government representatives, business executives, investors, and thought leaders to explore opportunities for deeper commercial engagement in high-growth sectors.

Caption: Reciprocal Exchange alumnus and Fellowship alumnus engage in conversation during the Freedom 250 Networking Reception

Representatives from leading American companies, including Microsoft, Oracle, Mastercard, Google, Amazon Web Services, IBM, Citi, GE HealthCare, and Baker Hughes, attended to share successful investments and business models, and alumni shared their expertise on navigating African markets.  Through panel discussions, roundtables, and business networking exchanges, participants developed practical solutions to build commercial opportunities and expand U.S. business engagement in African markets. These connections helped advance future collaboration between U.S. companies and Fellowship alumni. Notably, 87% of alumni who attended the Forum said that they are likely to pursue new partnerships with U.S. companies or institutions in the next 12 months, while nearly two-thirds (63%) of alumni noted they made tangible progress on creating U.S.-Africa partnerships by identifying new opportunities in sectors such as technology, critical minerals, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, infrastructure, finance, and agriculture.

The Forum demonstrated that Mandela Washington Fellowship alumni are some of the strong[est] connectors between U.S. businesses and African markets. Our positions across government, business, and civic space make us trusted partners able to help them understand local contexts, opportunities, regulatory systems, and credible partnerships.”

Fellowship alumnus

Caption: Moderator Victorine Kambe Sarr (left) joins panelists Dr. Anthony M. Githinji, Dr. Purity Ngare, and David Payne during the U.S. Businesses Navigating Investment Voids: Becoming a “Partner of Choice” session.

Throughout the Forum, representatives from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and American Chambers of Commerce across Africa discussed how effective policy and private sector collaboration is expanding trade and advancing investment opportunities across Africa.

The Alumni Forum was incredibly beneficial in understanding the United States’ strategic shift towards commercial diplomacy, in showing practical examples of what successful commercial partnership between the U.S. and Africa looks like, and in shaping my role in driving this new strategy.”

Fellowship alumnus

The Forum highlighted the continued value of the Mandela Washington Fellowship network, with alumni serving as trusted partners who help connect U.S. and African markets and support long-term economic growth.