STEP UP NIGERIA JUNE NEWSLETTER

Building bridges to combat corruption through a community of integrity champions, fostering enhanced service delivery in Nigeria…

Hello Stepper!

We are excited to be halfway through the year! In this newsletter, we are sharing key highlights from June. Last month, as we celebrated Nigeria’s 25th democracy day we explored the meaning of ethical leadership with Dr. Akin Oke, leadership coach and author of Lead Disruption. We also showcased our work at the Digital Democracy Exhibition, recognized for using digital tools to promote transparency and accountability. Additionally, we hit a major milestone — our 100th podcast episode! Here are June’s top highlights.

LEADING WITH PURPOSE: CELEBRATING 100 PODCAST EPISODES

In June, we launched our 100th podcast episode, a milestone made possible by you. This special episode features Oiza Nicholson, one of our Board Members, and Onyi Ough our Founder. They discuss the importance of leading with purpose to achieve set goals. As the Country Director at Palladium Nigeria, Oiza provides insights into how she sets strategic direction, oversees operations, and represents the organization to stakeholders. Onyi shares that to lead with purpose, one must first understand the reason why they are doing what it is they are doing. You can listen to the podcast here: https://bit.ly/SUNPODCASTEPISODE100 or watch on our Youtube channel here: https://bit.ly/EP100YOUTUBE

PROMOTING A CULTURE OF INTEGRITY IN SCHOOLS THROUGH THE SCHOOL INTEGRITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

In June, we announced the application process for our first group of schools to pilot the integrity certification program through our newly launched website, integritycertification.org. This program aims to help schools in Nigeria enhance their integrity standards and promote a culture of honesty. We held an engaging onboarding session for 29 schools, including both primary and secondary school owners, who are dedicated to fostering integrity in education. The integrity certification program will help your schools develop a robust integrity policy that upholds academic excellence, reduces dishonesty, and instills values that prepare students to champion transparency and accountability throughout their lives. Join the next cohort by registering here: https://bit.ly/SUNSICPREG

INSTITUTIONALISING INTEGRITY: A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ETHICS EDUCATION WITH NAPPS

We were excited to meet with our partners at the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) AMAC Chapter to discuss the importance of institutionalizing anti-corruption in schools with educators and school owners. The purpose of the session was to highlight how vaccinating children against corruption from an early age is essential for changing the corrupt systems in Nigeria. By equipping these future leaders to resist corruption and act with integrity, we can ensure that every young child learns to lead with honesty and integrity. This collaboration will play a crucial role in fostering a generation committed to ethical leadership.

FLYWHEEL ECONOMICS & STEP UP NIGERIA – BUILDING BRIDGES TOGETHER

Last week, we were delighted to welcome the Founder of Flywheel Economics—who also serves on our Board—on a visit to Step Up Nigeria. The visit marked an exciting moment as we continue to deepen our collaboration aimed at strengthening systems and delivering shared impact. It was a meaningful opportunity to connect, reflect, and explore the next phase of our work together.

RETHINKING LEADERSHIP: RAISING ETHICAL LEADERS IN NIGERIA

In June, we explored the important topic of Ethical Leadership in Nigeria, with a special focus on Lead Disruption, featuring the esteemed Dr. Akin Oke. In this candid conversation, Dr. Akin shared insights from his work in leadership development, offering valuable lessons and transformative strategies that can foster ethical leadership in Nigeria’s dynamic landscape. If you are interested in becoming an ethical leader or concerned about the changes in the nation, listen to the conversation using this link: https://bit.ly/SUNPodcastEp99 or watch on YouTube: bit.ly/EP98YOUTUBE

REDEFINING LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE: A CAPACITY BUILDING EXPERIENCE WITH WACSI

Step Up Nigeria was honoured to be selected as part of Cohort Three of the Civic Space Resource Hub (CSR-Hub) by the West African Civil Society Institute. As part of this, our Director of Programmes, Feranmi Iyanda, represented us at a three-day leadership and governance capacity-strengthening programme. The training explored innovative leadership models for founders and executives, emphasized the use of technology to boost team performance, and provided insights into succession planning and value alignment. The experience offered a fresh perspective on organisational leadership and has helped us enhance internal collaboration and future-proof our systems.

FOSTERING ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: STEP UP NIGERIA AT THE DIGITAL DEMOCRACY EXHIBITION

In June, Step Up Nigeria participated in the Digital Democracy Exhibition hosted by YIAGA Africa, in partnership with WILAN Global and supported by GIZ. We were proud to be recognized for our innovative use of digital tools to combat vote-selling, promote ethical behaviour, and strengthen public accountability and transparent governance. The exhibition reinforced the powerful role technology plays in shaping democratic values and driving societal change. Explore our digital tools here: https://bit.ly/SUNRESOURCEDOCS

CALLING CHANGEMAKERS: BECOME A MEMBER OF THE STEP UP NIGERIA INTEGRITY NETWORK

Are you passionate about building a better Nigeria? Do you believe in the power of integrity to drive real change? Then this is for you! For the past 3 years, the Step Up Nigeria Membership Programme has brought together a vibrant community of changemakers committed to fighting corruption and improving service delivery across Nigeria. Now, we’re opening our doors to more incredible individuals like you! This network is your chance to:
✅ Connect with like-minded leaders
✅ Co-create solutions that bridge the gap between citizens and government
✅ Be part of a movement championing integrity and accountability

We’re kicking things off with a virtual meet & greet next month — and we’d love for you to be there! Sign up here to join the network and receive your exclusive invite: [https://bit.ly/SUNMEMBERSHIPFORM] Let’s build a better Nigeria, together. 💪🇳🇬

JOIN US TO EMPOWER A CHILD THROUGH OUR #BUYACHILDABOOK CAMPAIGN

Our goal is to create a brighter future for the next generation by empowering children with knowledge and tools to fight corruption and uphold integrity. So far, we have reached 60,000 children. You can support our #BuyAChildABook campaign by purchasing any of our anti-corruption storybooks and sharing them with children in your community. You can place your order here for just N2,500 https://bit.ly/BuyAnticorruptionStorybooks