Yiaga Africa is a non-profit civic hub of change-makers committed to the promotion of democratic governance, human rights, and civic engagement. Launched as a student organization in 2007 at the University of Jos, Nigeria, Yiaga Africa has established itself as a leading civil society organization in Africa carving out a niche as one of Africa’s frontline non-profit organizations promoting participatory democracy, human rights, and civic participation.
With an operational base in Abuja, Nigeria, and leadership structures and members in all states and Local Government Areas (LGA) of the nation, YIAGA Africa participates in elections, legislative engagement, governance, and development. The organisation does so through program development, knowledge production, capacity building & community development, technology, and digital engagement.
Yiaga Africa implements several innovative programs aimed at stimulating active citizenship, protecting human rights, and deepening democratic governance. Over time, their work has centered around building collaboration with key stakeholders in the area of building early systems to prevent electoral violence through information dissemination and voter education. Yiaga Africa deplores election observation methodology to provide timely and accurate information on the process while advocating for easy access and response to critical incidents reported from polling units from these stakeholders.
Yiaga Africa has also held campaigns to encourage young people to get involved politically and leverage their huge population to determine the tides of elections and influence the process of improving governance in hopes to reduce voter apathy in young people and help influence their participation to elect deserving leaders. An instance of such is the Run to Win Youth festival, a campaign hosted by the organization in partnership with youth rehabilitation lab Street Project Foundation and civic engagement organization WeVote Nigeria, which featured conversations on the importance of young people being active in Nigeria’s democracy to shape governance outcomes, among other activities.
YIAGA Africa also conducts voters education through media platforms for citizens’ conversation on the electoral process where citizens can engage election stakeholders on how to participate in the process from an informed perspective, in a bid to galvanize concerns and recommendations to ensure increased citizens’ participation in the process.
Between election observance and reporting, advocacy, and inciting young people to increase their involvement in deciding leadership, Yiaga Africa’s contribution significantly motivates and drives action to increase civic engagement and build quality democratic leadership that includes young people.
Learn more about YIAGA Africa and their inspiring work driving the narrative around here