In an attempt to deepen its work through collaboration with private, public and development sectors in northern and southern Nigeria, LEAP Africa has opened regional offices in the two geopolitical zones.
Precisely, the organisation is expanding its operations further into northern Nigeria with the opening of a regional office in Abuja and in the Southern region through an office in Akwa Ibom, Uyo.
LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Professionalism) Africa is a youth-focused leadership development non-profit organisation raising African leaders through the creation and deployment of customized programmes to equip youths with soft and life skills for leadership, entrepreneurship, employability and active citizenship.
This move, according to a statement, was also strategic for the organisation. “Since inception in 2002, the 17-year old organisation has organised programmes targeting youth and entrepreneurs in the northern and southern part of Nigeria such as Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu and Taraba; and is emphatic on how its leadership programmes will target and benefit indigenes in these regions,” the statement added.
According to the Executive Director, Femi Taiwo, “Through our strategic positioning in these regions, our programmes will reach more underserved communities and will further boost the work of the organisation in supporting the realisation of the SDGs by 2030 as we intend to consolidate efforts with bilateral organisations, corporations and collaborate across the sectors.
“We plan to scale up our flagship programmes and ensure it is reaching new communities in these areas.”
It noted that with footprint in West and East Africa, the organisation was determined to secure more partnership for development.
Currently working in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, LEAP Africa added that it was presently implementing programmes for teachers and students in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda.
It stated that it had commenced a Pan-African programme that would reach 700 classroom teachers and about 17,000 scholars in the Mastercard Scholars Programme by the end of 2021.
