The Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) has formally launched its StandUPNaija Project – an electorate awareness platform aimed at enhancing citizen participation during and after the 2011 general elections.
StandUPNaija gives a voice to the issues faced by average Nigerians, and their expectations from elected leaders. Across the country, the Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI) is helping Nigerians speak up about the policy issues that matter to them such as Electricity, Health, Security, Education, Transportation and Employment.
“Through a series of impactful videos shot across Nigeria’s 6 geo-political zones, we havehighlighted the issues that affect average Nigerians and hope to put pressure on elected officials to address them during and after the 2011 elections,” said Simi Idowu, the organisation’s Operations Director. “The overall goal is to frame the policy issues for the 2011 elections (from the viewpoint of average Nigerians) and the expected actions of government officials in the next administration.During the next administration, these issues will be tracked”.
The videos have thus far been shown on national networks including the Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television – and have been broadcast in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The videos are also available for viewing and download at www.nli-global.org or www.standupnaija.org. At launch, over 10,000 people viewed the videos online.
StandUPNaija, working with a coalition of election-focused organizations, named What About Us recentlyco-produced Nigeria’s first youth-centred presidential debate, hosted by international award-winning writer Chimamanda Adichie. The coalition included EnoughisEnough Nigeria, Vote or Quench and Sleeves Up.
StandUPNaija’s parent organisation, Nigeria Leadership Initiative, is an international non-profit, non-partisan organisation that mobilises the energy, talent and resources of credible and accomplished Nigerians in-country and the diaspora to tackle the challenges that confront the nation.Established in 2006, NLI has activated several projects including a free comprehensive civics curriculum called CLEVER and an animated video on the values of Nigeria’s founding fathers on the Naira notes called Notes2Note.
NLI is a registered Charity in Nigeria and the United Kingdom and its fellows are members of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.