Deadline: 28th February 2025, 23:59 pm (WAT)
The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship is an initiative of The Bridge Leadership Foundation. It is a fully-funded, non-partisan Political Leadership development project which nurtures and prepares young Nigerians for leadership at the local, regional and national levels, enhancing the overall quality of leadership in the country.
Over the course of a year, Fellows gain access to tailored content delivered by a carefully curated list of Politicians, Development Experts, Historians, Civil Society Leaders, Religious Figures, Advisors and Mentors.
The residential Bootcamp serves as a melting pot for Fellows to network, immerse in Nigeria’s federal political ecosystem, meet key decision-makers and present their capstone projects to several panels of seasoned Politicians and Technocrats. The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowships also give Fellows the opportunity to demystify Nigerian politics by pairing them with credible past and serving Politicians through the program’s mentoring initiative at the Bootcamp.
ELIGIBILITY
Who qualifies?
Emerging Leaders:
- Who are active in mainstream politics in Nigeria.
- With a proven track record of service within a community, region and Nigeria.
- With a demonstrable track record of accountability, integrity, strategy and resilience.
- Aged between 25 and 35 (If you are within 36-45 years with a strong application, you can still apply).
- Who meets all statutory requirements to run for office at all levels in Nigeria.
- With no criminal record.
- With no ongoing criminal case/investigation with any national or international security body (Such as Interpol, EFCC)
TARGET AUDIENCE
Who Should Apply?
- Mid-senior level Technocrats
- Civil Servants
- Nigerians in Diaspora interested in running for office in Nigeria
- Technical staff of past or serving politicians (Special Advisers, Technical Assistants etc.)
- Political appointees (Such as Commissioners, Executive Secretaries etc.)
- Past candidates of political parties who ran for office at local/state/national level
- Current candidates/Political representatives of political parties running for office at local/state/national level
- Grassroots Activists/Changemakers with proven track record of impact in their communities
- Women, minorities (And other groups prone to discrimination and exclusion) with a track record of service and impact in their communities.
BENEFITS
What do you stand to gain?
- Opportunity to be part of political leadership capacity development program on the African continent
- Access to a high-impact, 6-month political leadership development training
- Opportunity to have access to, and be trained by a world-class Faculty
- Group mentorship by credible and seasoned Nigerian Politicians currently serving at various levels across the country
- One-on-one/group meetings with, and access to influential Nigerian politicians curated across party lines
- Access to Learning Visits to Key Institutions and Organizations
- Cost for local air travel, airport transfers, accommodation and feeding for the duration of the bootcamp will be covered (Nigerians in Diaspora will be responsible for their travel arrangements to Nigeria)
- Opportunity to serve on subsequent Cohorts as Facilitators, Program Ambassadors, Advisory Council members, and/or Mentors
- Upon completing the program, you will gain membership into the Alumni Association, providing you with access to a network of credible and like-minded emerging political leaders.
- Upon selection, you will gain the opportunity to implement a civic-driven impact project in your community, develop your capstone project, and collaborate with other fellows to implement civic conversations and other impactful activities across social media platforms.
- Increased visibility within Nigeria’s political space and amongst its most influential stakeholders
- Social media spotlights across The Bridge Leadership Foundation, Advisory and Faculty member’s handles/pages
