The Mastercard Foundation has unveiled the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, a new initiative backed by a $500 million commitment over the next decade to recognize African universities delivering lasting institutional transformation and expanding opportunities for young people.
The inaugural edition of the annual prize has named five universities from across the continent, with each institution set to receive $3 million to scale initiatives that improve education and employment outcomes.
The first AHEFT Prize laureates are:
- Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia) – Excellence in Research and Innovation
- International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), Burkina Faso – Excellence in Teaching and Learning
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) – Excellence in Research and Innovation
- Muni University (Uganda) – Transitions to Employment
- University of Rwanda (Rwanda) – Excellence in Health
According to the Mastercard Foundation, the prize aims to spotlight institutions that are creating measurable impact in areas such as teaching, research, entrepreneurship, STEM, climate, agriculture, health, and pathways to employment.
“For twenty years we have seen African institutions rethink what higher education can deliver. The AHEFT Prize turns that proof into momentum,” said Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of Mastercard Foundation. “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.”
The Foundation plans to recognize at least 150 higher education institutions over the next ten years, positioning universities as key drivers of Africa’s workforce development and economic transformation.
The inaugural winners will be formally honoured during the Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, Ghana, on September 22, 2026.
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