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.
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)
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.
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
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
A completed application comprises:
if you are shortlisted you will be expected to submit a 3-5 minute application video answering the question ‘Why should you be selected for the fellowship and how your vision will catalyze the kind of change Nigeria needs?’
An up-to-date CV
A completed and submitted application form
We have put a lot of thought into developing the application process to make it as easy as possible for you to respond to our call. We are not looking for perfect answers, we are looking for solutions that reflect belief and conviction. All you need to do is fill in the application form where you can also upload your CV.
Curriculum vitae
The document must be formatted in Adobe Acrobat PDF (pdf), all other file types will not be accepted.
The English language resume should list in order of priority the following:
Your professional experience with your most recent position listed first, and dates of employment
Your educational credentials, including all degrees earned
Awards and honors if applicable
Publications if applicable (please do not include an exhaustive list)
Please do not send CVs longer than 3 pages. Please note that once you submit the application you will not be able to make any changes. We ask that you carefully review the form before submitting it.
- Contact Us
Call Us
0913 144 9586
Mail Us
eplf@thebridgeleadership.org
Our Location
1st Floor, 15A Murtala Mohammed Highway, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria