Policy Shapers, Zikoko Citizen partner to amplify youth engagement in public policy in Nigeria

Policy Shapers and Zikoko Citizen have signed a partnership agreement to deliver quality policy analysis to young people in Nigeria.

Speaking about the partnership, Ebenezar Wikina, Founder of Policy Shapers, said, “over the past three years, we have put over 1,000 young people in our community at the centre of policy ideation, dialogue, and advocacy in Nigeria. Through this partnership with Citizen, we hope to further amplify this model of youth-led policymaking and educate our respective audiences on the key policy issues to consider in coming months, even as the country plans for leadership transition at the national and sub-national levels.”

Muhammed Akinyemi, Editor-in-Chief of Zikoko Citizen, noted that “as an organisation that educates young Nigerians on policy, politics, and governance, this partnership with Policy Shapers will help reduce the gap between those who know and those who don’t know how policies are made in Nigeria.”

Zikoko Citizen’s coverage of the 2023 Nigerian Elections reached over 5,000,000 young people in Nigeria, and the platform continues to be a hub for youth to engage with governance, policy, and politics. Zikoko Citizen understands that the responsibilities of citizens do not end with the election and are committed to ensuring young Nigerians play their part in Nigeria’s development. Citizen is unique because they take the boring political stuff, break it down, and deliver it to young people on platforms like TikTok, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Policy Shapers has mobilised over 82,000 people so far across Anglophone Africa through its policy advocacy campaign #ReformIELTS to engage the UK government and other institutions around the world to remove the English language test requirement for English-speaking Africans. The campaign has so far led to admissions policy changes in 21 universities around the world and counting. In August 2022, Policy Shapers organised the maiden #NaijaPolicyHack which brought over 200 young people from across the country to crowdsource policy ideas towards addressing the key development challenges in Nigeria.

Both organisations believe this partnership will be mutually beneficial in achieving their mission of having a more inclusive future for young Nigerians, home and abroad, in governance and policymaking.