The Global Citizen Fellowship Program is proud to announce a new cohort of fellows who will support its scaling up renewable energy initiatives across the African continent.
These dynamic individuals were recruited into this year’s program for their expertise in renewable energy and sustainability. They will work within Global Citizen’s environment and gain the skills they need to contribute to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Meet the 2025 Global Citizen Fellows, from left to right: Fèmi Tankpinou from Benin, Hope Dlamini from South Africa, Lungile Magagula from South Africa and Manar Benessaidi from Morocco.
Meet the 2025 Global Citizen fellows:
Fèmi Tankpinou, Benin
Tankpinou’s childhood experience growing up in Benin, where energy access was a constant barrier, fueled his passion for solutions that could transform access and opportunity. To build on this passion, he founded ECOZEM in 2020, a solar-powered urban transport company in Benin that offers affordable, eco-friendly transportation alternatives while reducing carbon emissions in West African cities. As a former youth parliamentarian in Benin, Tankpino has worked across several programs to expand access to energy in remote communities.
Tankpinou applied to the fellowship to gain practical skills that will deepen his understanding of renewable energy policy in Africa and enhance his project management and impact measurement abilities. He is eager to contribute to continent-wide initiatives aimed at expanding access to clean, affordable energy. With a strong background in entrepreneurship and community leadership, Tankpinou hopes to support the connection of 300 million Africans to renewable energy by 2030.
Hope Dlamini, South Africa
Hope Dlamini is a youth advocate and policy strategist committed to building a more inclusive and accountable future. Her activism began with Amnesty International and expanded through platforms like MOVE SA, Youth@SAIIA, and Project YouthSA, where she consistently worked to center young voices in national conversations.
For Dlamini, joining the Global Citizen Fellowship Program is both affirmation and opportunity. She plans to use the knowledge she gains during the program to build her skills in youth-led accountability, governance reform, and policy design. With her talent for digital storytelling and data-driven advocacy, Dlamini wants to put community voices at the heart of policymaking, with the goal of advancing a just and sustainable energy future.
Lungile Magagula, South Africa
Lungile Magagula is an emerging leader in sustainable development. Raised by his grandparents in Mamelodi, South Africa, his grandmother’s unwavering dedication to grassroots politics inspired his early commitment to activism.
His participation in the Global Citizen Fellowship represents a pivotal milestone in his journey to co-create solutions that address Africa’s energy crisis. He hopes to develop skills that will enhance his ability to advocate for sustainable energy access, and to contribute meaningfully to the development and implementation of renewable energy policies that prioritize equity and inclusivity.
Manar Benessaidi, Morocco
Manar Benessaidi is a Moroccan-French strategist working at the intersection of diplomacy, development, and grassroots advocacy. Shaped by the dual realities of growing up between Morocco and France, Benessaidi developed an early awareness of how systems can both empower and marginalize. These early experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to justice and systems change.
As a Global Citizen Fellow, Benessaidi sees this as a unique opportunity to connect policy frameworks to real-world impact. She’s excited to collaborate, transform collective ideas into measurable outcomes, and scale her advocacy across Africa and the diaspora.