When we opened the African CSO Awards 2026, we made a commitment: to shift the spotlight to where it belongs: the ingenuity of communities across the African continent, and the organizations and individuals who drive lasting change.
More than 1,200 organizations across 46 countries shared their stories with us — investing time and effort without financial incentives to reflect on their impact and celebrate others. We were profoundly inspired and humbled by their work and resilience, as well as their trust in this awards process. We cannot thank them enough, because their submissions have brought our mission into even sharper focus.
And so we move on to those we can name.
We are proud to introduce the 60 organizations and individuals who reached Phase Two of the African CSO Awards 2026 by name. Together they span 46 countries, five categories, and a striking range of missions from frontline delivery to ecosystem-building, and from young leaders to visionaries with a quarter-century of service behind them. Operating in a landscape marked by constrained resources and evolving challenges, these 60 exemplify what defines African civil society: determination, leadership, and ground-up solutions.
Pausing to Honor Every Step of the Journey
The African CSO Awards move through three phases. In the open call, formal and informal organizations across the continent were invited to share their story. In the evidence-building phase, entrants worked alongside us to bring their impact to life through testimonials and case studies. And in the final phase, an independent panel of African experts selects the winners.
We are now approaching that third phase. Our independent jury now has the unenviable role of evaluating a shortlist of 29, drawn from this amazing group of 60, to select final winners. But before any finalist or winner is announced, we want to pause and do something we believe matters as much as choosing winners: name everyone who reached this point.
Recognition in our sector too often reaches only the already-visible. These 60 include the organizations funders rarely find: women-led and youth-led organizations, climate initiatives, and community efforts working far from the usual networks.
Meet these outstanding CSOs
Doers: CSOs working on the frontline of community-led development, co-creating and delivering solutions grounded in their own contexts.
Supporters: CSOs that strengthen frontline organizations by providing tools, training, services, or institutional support.
Enablers: CSOs working at the ecosystem level, shaping the policies, platforms, and conditions that let community-led development thrive.
Emerging Leaders: Innovators under the age of 35 shaping the future of African civil society.
Lifetime Achievers: Visionaries with 25 or more years of sustained contribution to community transformation.
Beyond the Awards: Building a Lasting Network
Every organization on this longlist is now part of the African CSO Platform, helping their visibility and access to strategic networks. The hub is a place for peer connection, funding leads, and capacity-building, and we hope every organization will take advantage of it.
Join us in celebration
Our independent jury is hard at work selecting final winners. We look forward to announcing them in October.
Until then, we invite you to discover these 60 organizations, share them, and let them change the conversation about what African civil society is and does. To the funders and partners reading this: the organizations you have been trying to reach are on this list.
There is a saying woven through many of our communities:
If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.
These 60 organizations and individuals prove how far we can go when we are united in trust and purpose.
About the African CSO Awards
The African CSO Awards 2026 are organized by EPIC-Africa, a pan-African, non-partisan, evidence-based, African-led organization headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, working so that African CSOs are findable, fundable, and capable — and African philanthropy is celebrated and scaled.
