Leadership
The peacebuilder & the next generation
Future Prowess is led by two people whose stories — one of peacebuilding forged in war, one of technology leadership built from it — together define what this organisation is and where it is going.
Story 1 — The Peacebuilder's Legacy
Zannah Bukar Mustapha
Founder, Future Prowess Foundation
Zannah Bukar Mustapha practised law for twenty years. Then the Boko Haram insurgency descended on Maiduguri — and he made a decision that would define the rest of his life.
In 2009, with 36 orphaned and displaced children and no guarantee that the school would survive the week, he opened Future Prowess Foundation. He kept it open through bombings, displacement, and the collapse of public services across Northeast Nigeria. He admitted children from both sides of the conflict — a choice that drew suspicion from all directions, and that he has never regretted.
In 2014, he was called upon to serve as the chief negotiator between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram for the release of 103 of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped that April — the kidnapping that sparked the global #BringBackOurGirls movement. Many of those girls now study at the American University of Nigeria, and remain in contact with him.
He has also negotiated the release of 21 women held captive for two years. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo flew to Maiduguri in 2011 to visit the school personally, recognising the work being done in one of the most dangerous cities on earth.
“Humanity's interconnectedness in the global data sphere is now undeniable. In contrast, the unity among races, ethnicities, and citizens has grown increasingly delicate. Only global citizenship can heal.”
Awards & Recognition
Global Citizen Award
Andan Foundation / Henley & Partners · $25,000 prize — gala ceremony, Dubai
CNN Hero of the Year Honoree
CNN · One of CNN's most prestigious humanitarian distinctions
Nansen Refugee Award
UNHCR · First Nigerian laureate — $100,000 prize
Modern Day Hero Award
Aurora Prize · First Nigerian Aurora Humanitarian
World Humanitarian Award
UN / OCHA · International recognition for field-level service
Robert Burns Humanitarian Award Finalist
Robert Burns Organisation · Annual international humanitarian prize
Unsung Hero Award
Daily Trust · Nigerian media recognition for sustained quiet service
A life of service
Zannah — from Maiduguri to the world
Teaching children in Maiduguri
Future Prowess Foundation School · 2017
With children at the Foundation school
Future Prowess School, Maiduguri · 2017
With a young student at school
Future Prowess School, Maiduguri · 2017
At the school entrance with a child
Future Prowess School, Maiduguri · 2017
With community leaders, Maiduguri
Community engagement, Maiduguri
UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award ceremony
UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award · Geneva · 2017
Speaking at Robert Burns Humanitarian Award
Robert Burns Humanitarian Award
Honored by U.S. Mission Nigeria
U.S. Mission Nigeria Recognition Ceremony
CNN Heroes red carpet, New York
CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute · New York · 2021
Accepting CNN Heroes award on stage
CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute · On Stage · 2021
Receiving CNN Heroes Peace Builder plaque
CNN Heroes "Peace Builder" Award · 2021
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CNN Heroes Peace Builder award at the UN
CNN Heroes Plaque Presentation · UN · 2021
Global Citizen Award, Dubai
Andan Foundation / Henley & Partners · Dubai · 2023
Story 2 — The Next Generation
Fatimah Zannah Mustapha
Co-Director & Digital Literacy Programme Manager
Fatimah Zannah Mustapha grew up watching her father keep a school open during a war. She chose to build on that foundation — and take it somewhere he could not have imagined alone.
A software engineer by training, Fatimah now co-directs the Foundation and leads its Empowering Women in Tech programme — a transformative initiative that has trained over 1,000 women in software development, digital literacy, data analytics, and artificial intelligence across Northeast Nigeria. Her trainees are not learning technology as an abstract skill. They are learning it as an economic tool in a region where the gender gap in tech is not just a statistic — it is a barrier to survival.
As a UN ECOSOC Youth Forum Delegate and nominated finalist for the Women in Tech Global Awards, Fatimah operates across two worlds simultaneously: the community programmes in Maiduguri and the international policy forums where the rules governing girls' education and digital inclusion are written.
Her goal is not incremental improvement. It is to make the tech industry in Northeast Nigeria unrecognisable within a decade — and to ensure that the women who were displaced by conflict are the ones who build what comes next.
“People don't usually go deep when looking at Future Prowess on the platform. When I explain further, people tend to understand the impact more. The website should do that explaining.”
A global footprint
Fatimah on the world stage
United Nations HQ, New York
UN General Assembly
SDG corridor, UN Headquarters
UNGA · New York
UN General Assembly sign, New York
UNGA · New York
Speaking at Generation Unlimited Global Council
Generation Unlimited · UN · Sep 2025
Panellist, Generation Unlimited Leadership Council
UNICEF / Canada / Qatar Fund for Development
Delegates at Generation Unlimited, New York
Generation Unlimited · New York
Panel speaker, Global Platform for DRR
UNDRR · Geneva · Jun 2025
Speaking at UN Disaster Risk Summit
Global Platform for DRR · Geneva 2025
Panellist, Geneva DRR Summit
Global Platform for DRR · Geneva 2025
Closing panel group photo, Geneva
UNDRR Global Platform · Geneva 2025
Designated speaker, DRIF25 podium
Digital Rights & Inclusion Forum · Lusaka, Zambia · Apr 2025
Speaking at DRIF25, Lusaka
DRIF25 · Zambia
Portrait at DRIF25 main stage
DRIF25 · Lusaka, Zambia
Youth Forum on Adaptation Finance, Cameroon
YOFAFA · Cameroon
With delegates at YOFAFA
YOFAFA · Cameroon
Speaking at Pan-African Youth Forum
5th Pan-African Youth Forum · Djibouti · Nov 2025
Delegates at #PAYF2025
Pan-African Youth Forum · Djibouti
Floor intervention at African Union plenary
African Union Plenary Session
Keynote: Cybersecurity Awareness Curriculum
African Youth Tech Summit
Global Youth Award 2025 — Educational Innovation
Global Youth Awards · Winner 2025
Global Engagements & Recognition
United Nations General Assembly
Represented youth voices at UNGA, contributing to global discussions on sustainable development, gender equality, and inclusive innovation.
ECOSOC Youth Forum
Selected delegate to the ECOSOC Youth Forum, engaging in policy dialogue on the SDGs and amplifying youth perspectives at the United Nations.
Disaster Risk Reduction — Geneva
Participated in high-level engagements in Geneva on disaster risk reduction, advancing youth-led solutions for resilience, climate adaptation, and community preparedness.
Digital and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) — Zambia
Contributed to discussions on digital equity, connectivity, and inclusive digital transformation across Africa.
Youth Forum on Adaptation Finance in Africa (YOFAFA) — Cameroon
Contributed to dialogue on climate finance, adaptation strategies, and youth-led climate resilience.
Climate Summit — Abidjan
Contributed to regional climate discussions focusing on youth engagement, climate action, and sustainable development across Africa.
African Union — Go Gal Initiative
Recognised as one of the Top 10 Female Young Innovators in Africa for impactful work in technology, innovation, and women's empowerment.
Global Youth Award 2025
Recipient of the Global Youth Award 2025 in recognition of impactful contributions to youth development, innovation, and community empowerment across Africa.
Women in Tech Global Awards 2025
Nominated finalist — Community Award, recognising her leadership in closing the gender gap in technology across Northeast Nigeria.
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