Most Influential 100

A distinguished moment of recognition and leadership The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during which the Governor of the Year Award was formally presented.

Today UN Secretary General @antonioguterres announced what he says is the first global, fully independent scientific body dedicated to "helping close the AI knowledge gap and assess the real impacts of AI across economies and societies." The UN received more than 2600 applications and final 40 members of the group have been sent to the UN General Assembly for sign off. The list is experts from all over the world and comprises 19 women and 21 men. "The panel will help the world separate facts from fakes, and science from slop," Guterres told reporters at the UN. "It will provide an authoritative reference point at a moment when reliable, unbiased understanding of AI has never been more critical." The experts the SG is proposing for the panel are people from machine learning, data governance, public health, cybersecurity, childhood development and human rights, among other fields. The panel's first report is expected by July and work will go on for about two years. ⬇️Names of experts picked/country or origin ⬇️ (And X handle where applicable) Girmaw Abebe Tadesse (Ethiopia) @girmawAT Tuka Alhanai (United Arab Emirates) @tukaalhanai Joëlle Barral (France) Yoshua Bengio (Canada) @Yoshua_Bengio Tegawendé Bissyandé (Burkina Faso) Loreto Bravo (Chile) @lbravoc Mark Coeckelbergh (Belgium) @MCoeckelbergh Carlos Coello Coello (Mexico) Melahat Bilge Demirköz (Türkiye) @BilgeDemirkoz Adji Bousso Dieng (Senegal) @adjiboussodieng Awa Bousso Dramé (Cabo Verde) @DrAwaBDrame Mennatallah El-Assady (Egypt) @melassady Hoda Heidari (Iran) @HodaHeidari Juho Kim (Republic of Korea) @imjuhokim Anna Korhonen (Finland) @annalkorhonen Aleksandra Korolova (Latvia) @korolova Vipin Kumar (USA) Sonia Livingstone (UK) @Livingstone_S Qinghua Lu (Australia) @qinghualu Teresa Ludermir (Brazil) Vukosi Marivate (South Africa) @vukosi Bilal Mateen (Pakistan) @Bilal_A_Mateen Yutaka Matsuo (Japan) Joyce Nakatumba Nabende (Uganda) @j_nabende Andrei Neznamov (Russia) Maximilian Nickel (Germany) @mnick Rita Orji (Nigeria) @ritapurity Román Orús (Spain) @OrusRoman Alvitta Ottley (Saint Kitts and Nevis) @alvittao Martha Palmer (USA) Johanna Pirker (Austria) @JoeyPrink Balaraman Ravindran (India) @ravi_iitm Maria Ressa (Philippines) @mariaressa Lior Rokach (Israel) @LiorRokach Piotr Sankowski (Poland) @piotrsankowski Silvio Savarese (Italy) @silviocinguetta Bernhard Schölkopf (Germany) @bschoelkopf Haitao Song (China) Leslie Teo (Singapore) Jian Wang (China) @JianWang

MIPAD has appointed Mwende Mbevi as Canada Country Director, ahead of the 2026 release of the Top 10 Most Influential People of African Descent to Watch in Canada Read more 👇🏿👇🏿 blog.mipad.org/mipad-releases…

#MIPAD #MIPAD100 #HappyNewYear2026 #10thEdition #AfricanExcellence #GlobalImpact #Leadership #AfricanDiaspora #DecadeOfInfluence #CelebratingExcellence

inspiring future generations, and shaping a more inclusive and impactful global narrative. From all of us at MIPAD, we wish you a prosperous, purposeful, and inspiring New Year.

A decade of influence. A future of greater impact. As we step boldly into 2026, MIPAD proudly celebrates its 10th Edition—ten years of recognizing, amplifying, and honoring the Most Influential People of African Descent across the globe.

Highest Honor of the Night - CEO OF THE YEAR - Dr. Karl Olutokun Toriola @MTNNG with his Executive Team and Board Chairman Dr. Earnest Ndukwe – Godfather of GSM in Nigeria. Thank you @MTNNG

More Highlights - Class of 2025 End of Year Awards Honorees 🥰🔥

Merry Christmas from all of us at MIPAD ✨ Wishing you love, joy, and peace this season. Thank you for being part of our global community. ❤️

Swipe to see highlights from the visit. #MIPAD #GovernorOfTheYear #BabajideSanwoOlu #LagosState #Leadership #ExcellenceInGovernance #AfricanLeadership #CourtesyVisit

collaboration, and sustainable development that continues to position Lagos as a model for progress and innovation in Africa.

A distinguished moment of recognition and leadership The Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during which the Governor of the Year Award was formally presented.

Looking back to an incredible launch of MartellOnTheMove Unveiling two iconic symbols, The Swift Ascendant and The Voyager. A tribute to the soaring spirit, and audacious legacy of Maison Martell. Each symbol is an invitation to stand out. Tag a friend who defies expectations.

LAGOS DIASPORA EXPERIENCE 2025 - Starts DEC 19TH AFROBEAT Meets DIASPORA #Lagos #DettyDec - mailchi.mp/mipad.org/dett…

Last Chance: Are You Coming to Africa? #DettyDec #NewYear - mailchi.mp/mipad.org/dest…

[Tues Nov 4th] Join us for MIPAD Travel Desk Show with Crystal Cummings - mailchi.mp/mipad.org/trav…

MIPAD Travel Desk NOW OPEN! Exciting Trips: Bahia (Nov), Lagos (Detty Dec), Accra (New Year). mailchi.mp/mipad.org/mipa…

Enjoy Recap 2025 Recognition Week #80thUNGA #NewYork - mailchi.mp/mipad.org/reca…

Thank You & 2025 Feedback Survey - mailchi.mp/mipad.org/than…