Principal Lead/CEO, BudgIT, Gabriel Okeowo ;Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Femi Taiwo;Programme Officer, LEAP Africa, Catherine Busari,and
Program Management Executive, VELOCITY INITIATIVE, Agnes Olusola during the Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) 2021 media briefing held in Lagos.
The Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) will empower, equip and support 3000 Nigerian undergraduates (young change leaders), with the skills, knowledge and thriving ecosystem required to become self-leaders.
LEAP Africa and BudgIT Foundation has announced the launch of the Youth Leadership Programme 2021/22 – a new partnership supporting and strengthening the youth leadership ecosystem in Nigeria.
The Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) is an initiative under the Nigeria Youth Futures Funds, which is funded by MacArthur Foundation and Ford Foundation.
Africa is at an inflection point. It is projected that by 2030, young Africans are expected to make up 42% of the world’s youth and account for about 75% of those under age 35 on the continent (Population Resource Bureau, 2019).
Africa’s first challenge in this regard is that its youth are stuck in Waithood, a period of stagnation in the lives of young unemployed undergraduates & graduates (Honwana. A; Youth, Waithood, and Protest Movements in Africa, 2013). This said, it is clear that for Africa to fully harness the potential of its youth agency, achieve rapid economic growth and work effectively towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, there is a critical need for inclusive programs on youth development. Africa’s youth can be a positive force for development if provided with the tools, knowledge and opportunities needed to thrive.
“Young people hold a world of promise, and it is imperative that a country like Nigeria has leaders ensuring the actualisation of this promise. Our role in youth development is creating platforms and opportunities to ensure that young people and their agencies are well supported. Amidst the numerous challenges that the Nigeria youth ecosystem has faced—especially in the wake of the pandemic, we remain committed to advancing the inclusion of youth voice, abilities, and agency,” said Femi Taiwo, Executive Director of LEAP Africa.
“We are leveraging our 19 years of experience working with Nigerian youth and our multi-sectoral convening power to build a stronger and more resilient youth ecosystem that will decisively contribute to the long-term development plans of Nigeria.”
LEAP Africa has worked to develop the Youth Leadership Programme (YLP), which is designed to equip young people between the ages of 18 and 30 in higher institutions across Nigeria with the skills for Personal Leadership, Community/Sustainable Development and Active Citizenship towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Since its inception in 2004, YLP has directly transformed the lives of 2,650 young people who in turn, have positively impacted about 7,680 people. Today, more than 60% of YLP alumni network are advocating for good.
