Introduction
In April 2025, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Nigeria, and its partners Social Action and We the People kick-started a 3-year project (2025-2027), titled INCLUDE NAIJA — Inclusive Democracy and Empowerment Network for Active Youth in Nigeria.
The project is co- funded by the European Commission in Nigeria. The project aims to promote the fundamental human rights of Nigerian Youths, enhance their participation in democratic and national development processes.
Four universities were selected for the execution of the project activities led by Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in the next three years:
- University of Abuja’s Political Science Department;
- Centre for Peace and Development, Veritas University, Bwari;
- Centre for Gender Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi and
- Centre for Gender Studies, Bayero University, Kano.
Five training activities and advocacy visits to selected stakeholders such as the university administrations, National and state Houses of Assembly and Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development are planned annually for selected students of each university.
A democracy capacity-building workshop for 50 students drawn from three universities (20 students from the University of Abuja, 15 each from Veritas University and Nasarawa state University) is to be held each year. The hosting of the democracy capacity-building workshop will be rotated between the three universities.
A mentorship interactive session is to be held in each of the four universities to create a platform for student union leaders and aspiring student union leaders in each institution to interact with two female mentors. The mentors to be selected are women who were active student union members during their university days and had transited to successful actors in various fields of human endeavor as well as politics. Eighty female students are to be trained in each year within the mentorship project.
RLS Project Implementation 2025
A mentor and mentees in session
The democracy capacity-building workshop for 2025 was held on June 24, 2025 at the Political Science Department, University of Abuja. The speakers at the workshop were Professor Yusuf Zoaka of the Political Science Department, University of Abuja; Dr. Hauwau Mainoma of the Centre for Gender studies Nassarawa State university; Dr. Chibugo Lebechi of Veritias University, Bwari and Dame Ene Edeh of Equity Advocates.
Professor Yusufu Zoaka’s presentation was on Representative Democracy, democratic principles and the rule of law. Dr Chibugo Lebechi spoke on the role of citizens in policymaking, public consultations, citizen assemblies and online platforms for civic engagement. The third presentation was by Dr Hawawu Mainoma on Social Inclusion and equity advocacy: what is social inclusion, how to mainstream social inclusion in policy making and governance. Dame Ene Ede made the fourth presentation on Civic Engagement Strategies such as lobbying, advocacy and grass roots organizing.
The mentorship interactive sessions were designed for twenty female students in each of the participating institutions. The mentees were sensitized on the value of mentorship programs and the roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees. Each mentor shared with the mentees their life stories from their family and educational background and the circumstances surrounding their socialization as girl child. They also shared their experiences as students in the 1980s and 1990s in Nigerian universities and the nature of their involvement in the student union movement. The mentors also shared their experiences in the wider world, family and career choices and concluded with life nuggets to inspire the girls.
A mentor and the mentees in session
Four interactive mentorship sessions were organized for 2025: On the 11th of June 2025 at the Veritas University, Bwari and on the 30th of June, 2025 at the University of Abuja. The third mentorship workshop was held on the 17th of July 2025 at the Centre for Gender Studies, Nasarawa State University. The fourth mentorship workshop was held on the 25th of July 2025 at the Centre for Gender Studies, Bayero University Kano.
At the Veritas University interactive mentorship session, the mentors were Comrade Ene Obi a former student union president at the University of Jos and former Country Director of Action Aid Nigeria. The second mentor was Comrade Hauwa Mustapha a former student union activist at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and presently a researcher at the Nigeria Labour Congress. Dame Ene Ede made a presentation on the importance of mentorship.
The mentors at the mentorship interactive session held at the Political Science Department of the University of Abuja were Barrister Comfort Idika Ogunye, a former NANS president during the 1995/1996 session and founder of Female Leadership Forum (FLF). The second mentor was Dr Fatima Hassan, a former Vice-President, University of Jos Students Union Government as well as former Director-General, National Women’s Commission.
A mentor and mentees in session
The mentors at the mentorship session held at the Centre for Gender Studies, Nasarawa State University on the 17th of July 2025 were Comrade Ene Obi and Dr Fatima Hassan. For the mentorship session held on the 25th of July 2025 at the Centre for Gender Studies Bayero University, Kano, the mentors were Honorable Sadaatu Sani, a former member of the House of Representatives and Barrister Aisha Ibrahim Dankani, Convener of Kano Leads Initiative and an accomplished legal practitioner, public administrator and entrepreneur.
The students also participated in advocacy visits to the National Assembly public hearing on constitutional amendments on the 22nd of September, 2025. The interactive sessions were well received by the students and perceived as inspiring and impactful sessions.
