A certified result-orientation, project coordination, foresight development professional, experienced in partnership development, Monitoring and Evaluation, with intriguing interpersonal and communication skills and understanding people management skills, evident from his role as former coordinator Progressive Youth for Africa Leadership and Empowerment Initiative (PYAFRICA) and Coordinator, FES Open Minds Young Voices, a network of proactive youths trained to champion advocacies in youth development, project management, social democracy, leadership, Conflict resolution, climate change and gender based issues.
A member of Youth Alliance For Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) and the team lead, YALDA Nigeria-Morocco Leadership and Enterprise Exchange Program. A YALI network member and one-time Social Media Manager for YALI Abuja hub.
Kelvin is an Alumni of African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (Center LSD) Abuja.
Kelvin has served in several boards, participated in several youth inclusion campaigns, Advocacies, Grass root Mobilization, Conferences and many more engagements.
Frances Uchenna Okeke is a social impact leader and Malala Fund Education champion in Nigeria with over 8 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She has worked with Malala Yousafzai to campaign at the G7 summit in France demanding more funding to address climate and education issues in Africa. Her passion for girls' education and environmental sustainability in Africa earned her the Commonwealth scholarship to study International Development at the University of Edinburgh. As the founder and executive director of Sustainable Collective Advocacy for Africa Development Initiative (SCAAD Initiative) an NGO that focuses on youth development and environmental justice, she is committed to gender equality, the pursuit of sustainable development, and social justice in Nigeria.
Dada Philip Olamide is the Convener of the Synergy For Women Development Initiative (SWDI), a grassroots social enterprise dedicated to community empowerment through innovative educational tools. He is the visionary behind Ogbonge Chess, a locally produced chess set designed to democratize access to strategic thinking and cognitive skill development among children and youth across Nigeria.
Driven by a passion for social impact, Philip has pioneered several creative interventions that blend sports, education, and entrepreneurship — including the Akure Chess Bootstrap Program, which has trained students in underserved communities of Ondo State, using handmade chess resources. His work has gained national and international attention, with recent features by FIDE (the International Chess Federation) during the Year of Social Chess campaign.
A committed youth advocate, Philip actively builds partnerships that connect Nigerian students with global chess and coding opportunities. He also leads initiatives focused on community gardening, prison rehabilitation through chess, and inclusive after-school programs.
Philip is widely respected for his ability to turn simple ideas into scalable solutions, using locally sourced materials and community-driven models. Through SWDI and Ogbonge Chess, he continues to champion innovation, education, and empowerment as tools for national transformation.
From making history as the first female Student Union President at her university at just 21 , to coordinating high-stakes International Election Observation missions, Amina Yahaya is a powerhouse for democratic change. With over a decade of experience across Nigeria, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, Amina has become a leading voice in governance, political inclusion, advocacy and peace-building.
To date, she has directly trained over 3,000 women and youth from diverse political parties, equipping them with the advocacy skills needed to take their seat at the table. Whether she is managing International Election Observation Missions alongside former world leaders or spearheading off-cycle election programs, her focus remains the same; making governance accessible to all.
Beyond her professional roles with organizations like IRI and IFES, Amina is a dedicated mentor. As an advisor to the National Female Students Association of Nigeria, she has guided over 5,000 young women toward bridging the leadership gap in mainstream politics. A TEDx speaker and FES Open Minds Young Voices fellow of 2018, Amina Yahaya is a true inspiration for any young professional aiming to transform Africa's developmental landscape. She is an excellent trainer, facilitator and panel discussion moderator.
Adebanke Ilori Oyeniyi, is a lawyer and development professional with 10 years of experience in law, philanthropy, policy analysis, community organizing, inclusion, social justice and law for inclusive governance and community development in Nigeria and the United States.
She has fundraised, written grants for and implemented projects funded by a wide range of donors including private and public donors and corporations to ensure political and socioeconomic inclusion for persons experiencing homelessness, women, youths, indigent income communities, persons of colour, incarcerated persons, and persons with disabilities.
She obtained her LLB from the Obafemi Awolowo University, was called to the Nigerian bar in 2016 and obtained her Masters in International Development and Public Policy from the University of Chicago.
She is a 2018 FES OMYV Fellow, 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow, 2022 Restuccia Health Justice Fellow and a 2024 Change Collective Fellow.
She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Nigerian Bar Association. She also sits on the boards of 3 non-governmental organizations in Nigeria.
Jennifer Osuide is a public health and community engagement professional working at the intersection of research, civic institutions, and communities. With a background in pharmaceutical research and over eight years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, she brings a strong evidence-driven approach to designing and delivering community-led initiatives.
She currently works within higher education, where she builds and manages partnerships between universities, public sector organisations, and communities. Her work focuses on community listening, enabling inclusive participation in research, and translating lived experience into practical solutions that inform policy, programmes, and institutional decision-making.
Jennifer recently delivered two Research England–funded projects, including initiatives supporting refugee medics and long-term unemployed individuals through community listening and innovative “reverse volunteering” models https://civicuniversitynetwork.co.uk/community-listening-and-reverse-volunteering/. She has also developed toolkits and engagement frameworks now used to support more inclusive and ethical community engagement practice.
Beyond programme delivery, Jennifer is passionate about building capacity in others. She designs and delivers training for researchers and students on community listening, communication, and problem-solving, helping to embed more inclusive approaches within institutions.
Her work is grounded in a commitment to equity, participation, and long-term relationship building, ensuring that communities are not just involved in research but actively shape it.
Lukmon Akintola is a researcher and a policy advisor with over eight years’ experience of working at the intersection of climate change, human security, migration, and inclusive governance. Over the years, Lukmon has lead a series of policy-focused research and implemented project activities across several African countries. He currently serves as a Knowledge Associate at the Global Centre for Climate Mobility, where he is supporting the Africa Climate Mobility Initiative (ACMI) Deep Dive project in Botswana, Burundi, and Liberia. He is also among the coordinating team of the African Non-State Actors Platform on Migration and Development, where he serves as the focal point on climate mobility. He is currently a fellow of Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) where he is advancing EU-AU migration governance. Lukmon previously worked as a program associate at Friedrich Ebert Stiftung – Nigeria and has consulted for several international organizations, including UNICEF, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung - Geneva, European Partnership for Democracy, Save the Children, APCO Worldwide, among others. Lukmon holds a master’s degree in Politics and International Relations from Peking University, China.
