President John Dramani Mahama has secured fifth place on Devex’s 2026 Power 50 list, recognizing his influence in shaping global development leadership. The Washington, D.C.-based platform highlighted Mahama among 50 transformative figures driving change during a period of profound shifts in international aid architecture and financing mechanisms.
The ranking, published February 2, 2026, places Ghana’s leader alongside heads of major multilateral institutions, prominent philanthropists, and civil society pioneers. Devex cited Mahama’s return to office in January 2025 following his December 2024 electoral victory, acknowledging his renewed mandate to advance development priorities on Africa’s behalf.
Devex’s editorial team selected honorees based on demonstrated influence, policy impact, and leadership across humanitarian response, climate finance, health systems strengthening, and sustainable development. The platform noted Mahama’s longstanding engagement with critical development debates—including debt sustainability, infrastructure financing, and regional economic integration—dating to his first presidency in the mid-2010s.
This marks Mahama’s second appearance on the prestigious Power 50 list, reaffirming Ghana’s voice in global development discourse. The recognition underscores the president’s positioning as a key architect of Africa’s development agenda amid evolving international cooperation frameworks and financing challenges.
