The Mastercard Foundation has launched the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, a new continental initiative backed by a $500 million commitment over the next decade to recognise and strengthen African higher education institutions driving innovation, research, employability and youth development.

Announced on July 20 in Kigali, Rwanda, the inaugural edition of the annual prize honoured five universities from Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Uganda and Rwanda for demonstrating institution-wide transformation and expanding opportunities for young people across the continent.

The inaugural winners are Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, Muni University, Uganda, and the University of Rwanda.

Each institution will receive $3 million to scale initiatives designed to improve access to quality higher education and strengthen outcomes for young people.

President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mastercard Foundation, Sewit Ahderom, said the initiative builds on two decades of investment in African higher education and seeks to amplify homegrown solutions.

“For twenty years, have seen African institutions rethink what higher education can deliver. The AHEFT Prize turns that proof into momentum. We are backing homegrown excellence with a decade-long commitment so that universities across the continent become engines of opportunity for millions of young people,” Ahderom said.

Addis Ababa University received recognition in the Excellence in Research and Innovation category for aligning research with Ethiopia’s national development priorities while integrating scientific research with healthcare delivery through Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, which serves about 884,000 patients annually.

The International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) was honoured for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, following its success in delivering practice-based engineering education. Established by 16 African countries in the Sahel, the institution has produced more than 13,000 graduates, with 70 per cent securing employment within a year and over 95 per cent remaining in Africa to work in critical sectors including climate, water, energy and infrastructure.

Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology was recognised under Excellence in Research and Innovation for developing one of Africa’s leading research-to-commercialisation ecosystems through innovation hubs and business incubation platforms that convert research into startups and industry solutions.

Muni University in Uganda won the Transitions to Employment category for creating employment pathways for refugees and underserved youth through its Refugee and Host Community Youth Empowerment and Transformation Initiative (RETI), which has enabled up to 70 per cent of participants to secure jobs within three months of completing the programme.

The University of Rwanda received recognition in the Excellence in Health category for strengthening the country’s health system through the training of more than 26,000 health professionals and expanding access to healthcare through community-based education. The university has also emerged as a regional leader in digital health, biomedical engineering, vaccinology, and health systems innovation.

Executive Director of Higher Education Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, Dr. John Nkengasong said African universities must evolve beyond traditional academic roles to become catalysts for economic growth and employment.

“This is the moment to reimagine what higher education institutions can do as engines of human capital development not only as a place of learning, but as a direct route to work, to economic participation, and to a better future for young people across Africa,” he said.

According to the Foundation, the AHEFT Prize will recognise institutions demonstrating transformational impact across areas including teaching and learning, research and innovation, entrepreneurship, transitions to employment, as well as priority sectors such as health, climate and environment, agriculture, STEM, digital technology and artificial intelligence.

The Foundation plans to honour at least 150 African higher education institutions over the next 10 years.

The inaugural winners will formally receive their awards at the Higher Education Transformation Convening scheduled for September 22, 2026, in Accra, Ghana.