Nigerian social entrepreneur, AI Innovator, and founder of the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative (KLCI), Hammed Kayode Alabi, has been selected as the only Nigerian among 50 emerging global leaders for the 2026-2027 Youth for Peace: UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme.
Announced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) during the week, the second edition of the programme brings together 50 emerging leaders from 38 countries to advance intercultural dialogue, foster human connections, and address the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence.
Alabi was selected from a pool of 6,786 applicants from over 170 countries, representing an acceptance rate of approximately 0.74%, or fewer than eight successful applicants per 1,000 applications. The selection was conducted by an international jury of 26 members, including UNESCO staff and external experts in artificial intelligence and peacebuilding.
This year’s programme, themed around fostering human connection and dialogue in the age of artificial intelligence, seeks to equip emerging leaders with the knowledge, networks, and resources to address social fragmentation, strengthen trust, and promote peaceful and inclusive societies as technology continues to reshape human interactions.
For Alabi, whose work over the past nine years has focused on expanding educational and career opportunities for underserved young Africans, the selection presents an opportunity to explore how artificial intelligence can strengthen human creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration rather than replace them.
Through KLCI, the organisation he founded in 2017, Alabi has championed educational equity, youth leadership, and career development for young people from underserved communities. More recently, he founded Rafiki AI, a generative AI-powered career advisor designed to democratise access to personalised career guidance for underserved and displaced young Africans.
Since its launch, Rafiki AI has reached over 13,000 users across 60 countries, facilitating more than 103,000 messages and providing over 56,000 pieces of career advice.
As part of the UNESCO programme, Alabi hopes to develop a new use case for Rafiki AI that supports teachers and educators in Nigeria to leverage artificial intelligence to address challenges in their communities while fostering creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking among students.
The proposed initiative will explore how educators can use Rafiki AI as a tool for problem-solving and social good, equipping them with practical approaches they can take back into their classrooms to prepare young people to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world.
Speaking about his selection, Alabi said: ‘I am humbled to have been selected as the only Nigerian among 50 emerging leaders from across the world. I am particularly excited about this year’s focus on fostering dialogue and human connections in the age of AI.
‘Over the next year, I hope to work with teachers and educators in Nigeria to explore how we can leverage Rafiki AI to develop solutions to some of the challenges we face in the age of artificial intelligence, while fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration in our classrooms.
‘I am still developing this idea and exploring a new use case for Rafiki AI in career support and social good. I am looking forward to learning from other young leaders, participating in peer circles, deepening my understanding of AI, and challenging my own assumptions about the purpose of technology in our generation.’
The Youth for Peace: UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme provides participants with specialised training, mentorship, masterclasses, and opportunities to collaborate with other emerging leaders working across AI governance, education, policymaking, research, entrepreneurship, and social innovation.
Participants will also have access to funding and mentorship opportunities to develop and implement intercultural dialogue initiatives in their communities.
The programme, which officially opens on 26 October 2026, will culminate in a Global Youth Dialogue for Peace in China, where participants will share their experiences and engage policymakers in discussions aimed at shaping more inclusive and peaceful societies.
According to UNESCO, the initiative responds to the growing need for leadership that can bridge differences, build trust, and ensure that technological advancement strengthens rather than weakens human connections.
Alabi’s selection adds to his growing contributions to youth development, educational innovation, and the responsible application of artificial intelligence in Africa. Through his work with KLCI and Rafiki AI, he continues to advocate for a future in which a young person’s access to opportunities is not determined by their socioeconomic background or geographical location.
His participation in the 2026-2027 cohort will provide an opportunity to connect local educational challenges in Nigeria with global conversations on AI, intercultural dialogue, and the future of human connection.