The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) is set to launch its Intersectional Leadership Incubator (ILI) Fellowship next week.
The ambitious initiative is aimed at empowering grassroots advocates across Nigeria’s Niger Delta to champion climate justice at both local and national levels.
This pioneering fellowship targets individuals from frontline communities affected by mining, oil and gas exploration and deforestation across the 10 Niger Delta states: Abia, Anambra, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Ondo, Imo, Bayelsa and Delta.
From a highly competitive pool of 479 applicants, 24 fellows were selected for the 2025 cohort. The selection process prioritised women, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and young people, while also engaging traditional and community leaders to strengthen access, inclusion and advocacy efforts.
The ILI Fellowship seeks to amplify the rights, voices and aspirations of historically marginalised and land-connected communities, ensuring their experiences shape policies, laws and climate finance systems.
“Those who suffer the most from the devastating impacts of climate change, mining and oil and gas exploration must be at the forefront of the solutions,” said the programme coordinator at Centre LSD, Vincent Dania. “The ILI Fellowship is designed to help these individuals lead community advocacy and influence national and global climate policies that affect their lives and futures.”
The selected fellows will undergo a week-long intensive training from May 19 to 23, 2025, in Awka, Anambra State. The training will equip them with skills in strategic leadership, rights-based advocacy, gender equality and social inclusion and project management.
A key feature of the fellowship is the development of innovative community-based projects by each fellow. These projects will receive Centre LSD’s technical and strategic support during the fellowship period, enabling real-time implementation and impact within their localities.
Beyond capacity-building, the programme offers structured platforms for fellows to engage directly with policymakers, civil society actors and climate justice stakeholders – positioning them to contribute to national and international dialogues on environmental justice and natural resource governance.
With this initiative, Centre LSD aims to drive grassroots-led transformation that ensures equity, sustainability and justice in Nigeria’s climate and resource management frameworks.
