Renowned international development outlet Devex has ranked Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, as the 5th most influential figure in global development and changemaking, citing his leadership in driving forward the Accra Reset agenda.
This recognition places President Mahama within an elite circle of global leaders shaping the future of development at a time of profound changes in aid, financing, and international cooperation.
President Mahama began his current term in January 2025, marking his second time in office, though not consecutively. He previously served as Ghana’s President from 2012 to January 7, 2017, and earlier held roles as Vice President, Member of Parliament, and minister. He also made history as the first co-chair of the United Nations Advocacy Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to Devex, Mahama has become a prominent voice championing a new framework for African development, challenging traditional aid-dependent models and pressing for reforms in debt relief, trade, and climate finance.
His central message, Devex observed, is that “Africa must renegotiate its place in the global economic order, rather than simply adapt to shrinking foreign aid.”
The publication spotlighted the Accra Reset as a cornerstone of Mahama’s influence. In August 2025, he brought together African leaders, policymakers, and global health experts in Accra to launch a new vision for health sovereignty, rooted in national ownership and fairer global collaboration.
That vision was broadened during the United Nations General Assembly in September, evolving into a wider development agenda with global relevance, not just African focus.
Devex described the Accra Reset as a bold initiative to end “development-as-usual”, particularly in response to reductions in U.S. foreign aid, while promoting new governance, business, and financing models. The publication noted that Mahama has been a hands-on advocate, supported by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as a key adviser.
Others ranked ahead of Mahama on the Devex Power 50 list include:
- Benjamin Black, CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (1st)
- Sidi Ould Tah, President of the African Development Bank (2nd)
- Anna Makanju, Vice President, Global Impact at OpenAI (3rd)
- Alexander Berger, Cofounder and CEO of Coefficient Giving (4th)
Introducing the list, Devex noted that the development sector has undergone “tectonic shifts” in the past year, with traditional donors pulling back and new players stepping forward.
The ranking highlights individuals reshaping development in a post-aid era, spanning government, philanthropy, multilateral finance, artificial intelligence, and global health.
Devex further emphasized that as bilateral aid diminishes, attention is shifting toward philanthropy, development finance institutions, and private sector investment, while new donors, including Gulf states, are reshaping the aid landscape. The publication also pointed to the growing role of artificial intelligence as a potential accelerator of progress, if used responsibly.
While acknowledging that measuring influence is not an exact science, Devex said its newsroom’s deep engagement with the sector informed the list, which it describes as a guide to the key figures shaping global development in 2026.
President Mahama’s inclusion in the top five underscores Ghana’s rising profile in international development debates and positions the Accra Reset as one of the most impactful ideas redefining global cooperation in the years ahead.
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