Apollinaire Abi
2026-2027 University of Chicago Scholar

Togo
Executive Director, NawiriTech
Promoting evidence-based public policy across Africa by expanding data science training and establishing data partnerships with state agencies.
Apollinaire Abi is the co-founder of NawiriTech, a data science education platform that expands access to digital skills and promotes evidence-based decision-making to young professionals across Africa. They provide free training through in-person workshops and virtual fellowships designed to prepare learners to apply data and technology skills to implement solutions to a specific social impact project in their communities. Under Apollinaire's leadership, NawiriTech received more than 1,300 applications from 28 African countries in its first year, training more than 125 young professionals who now deploy data strategies across agriculture, education, healthcare, and public policy. Seeing effective data management as a key to actionable insights that spur change, Apollinaire is now focused on expanding NawiriTech's work to data training for social impact organizations and state agencies to empower African countries to build locally led solutions that fit the needs of their communities. Apollinaire plans to leverage insights from the program's guest speakers and access to seasoned social change leaders to learn how to develop a replicable framework that maintains a focus on local needs and contexts while expanding across Togo, Ghana, and Kenya to establish evidence-based data as a cornerstone of public transformation.
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More About the Scholars Program
The Obama Foundation Scholars program gives rising leaders from around the world who are already making a difference in their communities the opportunity to take their work to the next level.
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