President John Dramani Mahama has been ranked 5th on Devex’s 2026 Power 50 list, placing him among the world’s most influential figures shaping the future of global development in an era marked by declining foreign aid and shifting power dynamics.
The annual Devex Power 50 recognises individuals who wield significant influence over global development policy, financing, and innovation. This year’s ranking comes at a critical moment, as traditional aid models particularly from the United States and other long-standing donors continue to contract, while new actors such as philanthropies, development finance institutions, the private sector, and emerging donors play increasingly prominent roles.
According to Devex, power in today’s development landscape is no longer defined solely by access to money, but by the ability to shape ideas, influence policy, mobilise resources, and redefine how development is financed and delivered.
President Mahama, who returned to office in January for a non-consecutive second term, is highlighted as one of the most prominent political voices pushing for a fundamental rethinking of Africa’s place in the global development architecture. Devex points to his consistent advocacy for a “new deal” for African development, centred on debt relief, fairer global trade rules, and climate finance that reflects Africa’s realities rather than donor-driven priorities.
Rather than adjusting to shrinking aid flows, Mahama has argued that Africa must renegotiate its position within the global economic order moving away from dependency toward sovereignty, ownership, and sustainable financing models.
In August last year, he convened African leaders, policymakers, and global health experts in Accra to launch a bold vision for African health sovereignty, anchored in national leadership and more equitable global cooperation. That initiative gained further momentum at the United Nations General Assembly in September, where discussions expanded beyond health to encompass broader development challenges, positioning the agenda as a global framework rather than an exclusively African one.
The effort, now known as the “Accra Reset,” seeks to signal the end of development-as-usual and calls for new governance, business, and financing models in response to declining U.S. aid and changing global priorities. President Mahama serves as the initiative’s chief advocate, working closely with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who advises the process.
Devex notes that Mahama’s influence lies not only in his political standing, but in his ability to articulate and advance a compelling vision for Africa’s future within a rapidly evolving global development landscape.
