Deadline: May 24, 2022.

The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship is the flagship Fellowship Program 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 level with a view to improving the quality of Nigeria’s leadership pool and the impact of its developmental interventions.

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 Emerging Political Leaders Fellowships also gives Fellows the opportunity to demystify Nigerian politics by pairing them with credible past and serving Politicians through the program’s location-based Internship/shadow program. 

ELIGIBILITY

EMERGING LEADERS

1. Who are active in mainstream politics in Nigeria
2. With a proven track record of service within a community, region and in Nigeria
3. With a demonstrable track record of accountability, integrity, strategy and resilience
4. Aged between 25 and 45
5. Who meets all statutory requirements to run for office at all levels in Nigeria
6. With no criminal record
7. With no ongoing criminal case/investigation with any national or international security body (Such as Interpol, EFCC)

TARGET AUDIENCE

• 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 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

• Opportunity to be part of a pioneering program on political leadership 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
• One-on-one 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
• 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 programs as Facilitators, Program Ambassadors, Advisory Council members, and/or Mentors
• Increased visibility within Nigeria’s political space and amongst its most influential stakeholders
• Social media spotlights across The Bridge Leadership Foundation, Mentor and Faculty members handles/pages

APPLICATION

A completed application comprises:

• A completed and submitted application form
• An up-to-date CV
• A 3-5 minute application video

SUBMISSION PROCESS

• Use the ‘Create A Project’ section to upload your application video or embed a link from 3rd platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
• Under ‘Title, use the subject: Application Video_Your Name’
• Under ‘Short Description’, share details we may need to access your video, if any.

OFFICIAL LINK