The African Girl Guide (AGG) has launched a year-round mentorship programme for 406 young women leaders, mainly female members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), aimed at building leadership capacity, entrepreneurial ability and financial literacy as part of activities marking International Women’s Day 2026.
The initiative was unveiled by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AGG, Dr. Jindu Peter Elueze, who described the programme as a strategic effort to prepare a new generation of women leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to influence governance, business and community development.
The selected participants will undergo a structured mentorship journey designed to strengthen leadership skills, expand entrepreneurial thinking and improve financial knowledge while exposing them to governance and policy conversations.
Speaking during the launch, which was held under the theme “Give To Gain,” Dr. Elueze emphasised that empowering women requires deliberate and sustained investment in mentorship and access to opportunities.
“Progress is not accidental; it is intentional. When we give mentorship, we gain confident leaders. When we give knowledge, we gain empowered decision-makers. When we give opportunity, we gain transformation,” he said.
He explained that the activation of the 406 founding participants demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to building women who are ethically grounded, financially intelligent and prepared to take leadership roles across sectors.
According to him, the mentorship programme will connect the young women with experienced mentors drawn from fields such as business, technology, public service and social impact.
Through this engagement, participants will take part in monthly virtual mentorship sessions, leadership conversations, career advisory meetings and peer-learning circles designed to deepen their professional development and broaden their networks.
Dr. Elueze also encouraged the participants to think beyond personal advancement and develop ideas capable of creating meaningful social or economic impact within their communities.
As part of this requirement, participants are expected to submit short videos of not more than six minutes presenting innovative ideas, the problems they seek to solve and the type of support needed to bring those ideas to life.
To support the most promising proposals, a funding pool of ₦10 million has been set aside to help selected participants implement projects that address real challenges in their communities.
According to Dr. Elueze, the goal is to ensure that mentorship leads to practical outcomes rather than remaining a theoretical exercise.
“This programme is not just about learning. It is about creating solutions, encouraging innovation and helping young women build initiatives that can transform their communities,” he said.
The mentorship journey will begin with the AGG Bootcamp, where participants will receive intensive training focused on leadership development, entrepreneurship and personal growth.
This will be followed by the AGG Meet and Greet session, designed to strengthen mentor-mentee relationships and encourage networking among participants and industry leaders.
After the training phase, the participants will move into the Impact Projects stage, where they will apply the knowledge gained from the programme to real-life community or business initiatives.
The programme cycle will conclude with the AGG Leadership Summit, where participants will present their achievements, showcase the impact of their projects and engage with mentors, policymakers and development stakeholders.
The launch event attracted several dignitaries who delivered goodwill messages highlighting the importance of mentorship, leadership development and women’s empowerment in shaping sustainable national growth.
