Lagos Opens Applications for 2025 Lateef Jakande Leadership Fellowship for Young Change-Makers
The Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy (LJLA) has officially opened applications for its 2025/2026 Fellowship Programme, offering ambitious young Nigerians an immersive one-year experience in public leadership and governance.
Announced by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the fully funded initiative honours the legacy of former Governor Lateef Jakande by nurturing a new generation of ethical, service-driven leaders. Fellows, aged 25 to 35, will be embedded as Special Assistants across Lagos State Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), contributing directly to policy and project execution.
“This Academy is about building a governance culture rooted in service, competence, and impact,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
Fellows will participate in hands-on mentorship, civic innovation projects, strategic leadership workshops, and national and international policy exchanges. A hallmark of the programme is the Capstone Project, where each Fellow initiates a community-based intervention to apply their training in real-world contexts.
Executive Secretary of LJLA, Ayisat Agbaje-Okunade, emphasized the Academy’s inclusive ethos, encouraging persons with disabilities and underrepresented groups to apply. “Our Fellows are leaders-in-training who live the values of integrity and innovation,” she stated.
Applications close May 17, 2025, and interested candidates can apply via www.ljla.academy.
