The African Development Bank (AfDB) Internship Program is a valuable opportunity for young professionals and students to gain practical work experience and contribute to the development efforts of the African continent. Established by the AfDB, an international financial institution dedicated to promoting economic growth and social progress in Africa, the internship program offers placements in various departments and units within the bank’s headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as well as its regional and country offices across Africa.
The AfDB Internship Program provides interns with hands-on experience working on projects and initiatives that contribute to the bank’s mission of fostering sustainable economic development and reducing poverty in Africa. Interns have the opportunity to work under the supervision of experienced professionals and contribute to a wide range of activities, including research, data analysis, project management, policy development, and stakeholder engagement.
The duration of the internship typically ranges from three to six months, although longer placements may be available in some cases. Interns may be assigned to specific projects or teams based on their skills, interests, and academic background, allowing them to gain practical experience in their chosen field of study or professional interest.
In addition to their day-to-day responsibilities, interns may also have the opportunity to participate in training sessions, workshops, and seminars organized by the AfDB to enhance their knowledge and skills in areas relevant to development finance, economics, public policy, and international relations. They may also have the chance to attend meetings, conferences, and other events where they can learn from experts and engage with stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector.
The AfDB Internship Program is open to graduate students, recent graduates, and young professionals from Africa and around the world who are passionate about development issues and committed to making a positive impact in Africa. Candidates must have completed at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field, such as economics, finance, international development, engineering, social sciences, or business administration. Proficiency in English or French, the bank’s official languages, is typically required, while knowledge of other languages, particularly Arabic or Portuguese, may be advantageous.
The AfDB Internship Program offers a valuable opportunity for interns to gain practical experience, build professional networks, and contribute to the development efforts of the African continent. By supporting capacity building and knowledge sharing, the program helps to develop a new generation of leaders and professionals who are committed to driving positive change and sustainable development in Africa.
The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten-Year Strategy (2024 – 2032) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas, all of which will accelerate our delivery for Africa, have been identified for scaling up, namely; energy, agro-business, industrialization, integration and improving the quality of life for the people of Africa. The Internship program is part of a wider Talent Management Framework which facilitates the Bank to deliver on the Ten-Year Strategy and the High 5s.
Participants in the Program are selected on a competitive basis, based on business needs of the Bank.
Eligibility Criteria For The African Development Bank (AfDB) Internship Program
To be eligible for internship, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Must have attained the age of majority in their country of nationality or origin and be not more than Thirty (30) years old at the time of commencement of the internship program.
- Be currently enrolled in a master’s level degree program in a recognized public or private educational institution of higher learning.
- The candidate can apply for an internship within one (1) year of having obtained such a degree.
- Be nationals of the member Countries of the African Development Bank.
- Provide a letter from their school confirming their enrollment or a copy of the above-mentioned Degree. Applicants must be fluent in at least one of the Banks’s two working languages (English or French).
- Be able to use the Bank’s standard software packages (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access); knowledge of SAP is desirable.
Objectives
The broad objectives of the program are to:
- Provide students with an opportunity to acquire professional and practical experience at the African Development Bank.
- Provide the Bank with a pool of potential candidates for future recruitment purposes.
The Fields of Study Required for the Internship:
- The fields of study from which interns are selected must be within the job families of the Bank, particularly Economics, Agriculture, Private Sector Development, Human Capital Development (Education and Health), Environment, Finance, Infrastructure Development, Human Resources Management, Information Technology, Communications, Law, Internal Audit, Budget, Governance or any other field of study that the Bank may deem relevant to its operations.
- Special consideration shall be given to students who are working on projects that have a direct bearing on the mission of the Bank.
Timeline for Session 2 of the 2024 Internship Program:
Session 2 of the 2024 Internship Program will commence in July 2024.
Terms and Conditions
- Internships shall be granted to each candidate for a period not less than three (3) months and not more than six (6) months. The internship is authorized only once for any candidate.
- Selected interns will perform their internship either remotely or on-site depending on the needs of their respective hiring units. Remote interns are expected to have access to a personal computer, reliable internet connection and a conducive living environment that facilitates smooth and uninterrupted remote working.
- On-site interns shall be responsible for their air travel (in case of) to and from the Bank’s location as well as their upkeep.
- The Bank will use reasonable efforts to assist the concerned interns in obtaining their entry and residence visas.
- Eligible Interns will benefit from a medical insurance coverage paid by the Bank during the period of their internship.
- Eligible interns will be provided with a monthly stipend.
Method of Application
Applicants will only be considered if they submit an online complete application and attach a comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV).
The Bank runs two (2) internship sessions per year. The selection process for session 1 of the 2024 Internship Program has been completed and selected interns are onboard. This announcement is for session 2, which will commence in July 2024.
The announcement for session 1 of the 2025 Internship Program will be made in October 2024 and selected interns will commence in January 2025.
Should you encounter technical difficulties in submitting your application, please send an email with a precise description of the issue and/or a screenshot showing the problem to: HR Direct HRDirect@AFDB.ORG
Application Deadline: May 7, 2024.
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