Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF)

What Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF) does

The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF) is a non-partisan political leadership development programme established in 2022 as the flagship initiative of The Bridge Leadership Foundation, a Nigerian non-profit founded by Senator Liyel Imoke. The programme targets young politically active Nigerians aged 25-45, including political aspirants, civil servants, grassroots activists, women and underrepresented groups, and diaspora Nigerians seeking to run for or transition into elected office. EPLF delivers a structured six-month learning journey combining virtual leadership training sessions, civic engagement activities, policy assignments, group mentorship from past and serving Nigerian politicians across party lines, learning visits to key governance institutions, and culminating in a residential bootcamp held in Abuja with capstone presentations and graduation. The programme is staffed by a faculty of experienced politicians, development experts, technocrats, historians, and civil society leaders including figures such as Senator Liyel Imoke, Adv. Nelson Chamisa, Oluseun Onigbinde, and Samson Itodo.

EPLF operates on a hybrid revenue model combining donor/grant funding — with Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation named as major financial partners — and three fellowship funding tracks: a fully-funded Scholarship Track, a partially-subsidized Paid Track (50% scholarship), and a Self-Sponsored Track for fellows who cover full tuition and bootcamp costs. The programme recruits 25 fellows per cohort and has graduated four cohorts since 2022, with a fifth cohort open for 2026. The underlying technology stack is minimal, consisting of online applications via Google Forms, social media channels for outreach, and a hybrid virtual/in-person training delivery model. The core technology is described as a non-proprietary learning platform with no AI/ML capabilities, mobile app, or API infrastructure. EPLF is headquartered in Calabar, Cross River State, with a secondary office in Abuja serving as the bootcamp and graduation venue, and operates with a team of six employees.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on referrals from the advisory council and faculty networks, organic social media presence (Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook), and the reputational pull of its founders and faculty. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via online applications, with selection based on merit and demonstrated leadership potential. The programme generates minimal direct revenue — primarily from partial tuition fees on the Paid and Self-Sponsored tracks — with the majority of operations sustained by foundation grants and donor funding.

Name

Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF)

Legal name

Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF)

Website

https://eplf.thebridgeleadership.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EPLF is a non-partisan political leadership fellowship program established in 2022 by Senator Liyel Imoke's The Bridge Leadership Foundation. It runs a six-month hybrid curriculum for 25 young Nigerian political aspirants per cohort, combining virtual training, mentorship from serving politicians, and a residential bootcamp in Abuja, funded by foundation grants and fellowship tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political Leadership Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Leadership, Service Learning & Volunteer-to-Career Pathways (EDAMAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Succession Planning & High-Potential (HiPo) Leadership Programs (EDABAAAL), High-Potential & Succession Coaching (EDABANAC)

Keywords

• Political leadership development
• Leadership fellowship program
• Political capacity building
• Governance training services
• Civic engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Calabar

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Tuition Fees: EPLF generates revenue through three fellowship tracks with different funding models: full scholarship (free), partial scholarship (50% paid), and self-sponsored (full tuition). The program covers leadership training, mentorship, and bootcamp logistics based on the selected track.
2. Donor Funding and Grants: As an initiative of The Bridge Leadership Foundation, EPLF receives donor funding from organizations including Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and other development partners to support fellowship operations and scholarship provisions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EPLF delivers a 6-month non-partisan political leadership fellowship for young Nigerians, combining virtual leadership training, group mentorship from serving and past Nigerian politicians, civic engagement projects, learning visits to governance institutions, and an intensive residential bootcamp in Abuja. Fellows gain automatic membership into the EPLF Alumni Association upon completion, with the program offered across three funding tracks (Scholarship, Paid, and Self-Sponsored).

Product overview

EPLF is a single, unified non-partisan political leadership fellowship programme by The Bridge Leadership Foundation. The programme consists of a 6-month structured learning journey combining virtual leadership training sessions, civic engagement activities, policy assignments, group mentorship from past and serving Nigerian political leaders, learning visits to key governance institutions, and culminating in a residential bootcamp in Abuja with capstone presentations and graduation. Fellows gain automatic membership to the EPLF Alumni Association upon completion. The fellowship is delivered through three funding tracks: Scholarship (fully funded), Paid Track (50% scholarship), and Self-Sponsored (fully paid).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF) A non-partisan, 6-month political leadership fellowship programme that nurtures and prepares young Nigerians for ethical, competent, and people-centred leadership at local, state, and national levels, combining virtual training, mentorship from credible politicians, civic engagement activities, learning visits, and a residential bootcamp in Abuja.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fellows gain access to structured group mentorship with past and serving Nigerian politicians across party lines and levels of government
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Bridge Leadership FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPLF is the flagship fellowship programme of The Bridge Leadership Foundation (TBLF), founded by Senator Liyel Imoke. TBLF provides organizational support, resources, and strategic direction for the fellowship.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Atlas Corps: Global fellowship placing emerging leaders in service programs with cohort-based structure, mentorship, and alumni network; directly comparable to EPLF's hybrid training + cohort + alumni model.
• African Leadership Academy: Pan-African institution developing Africa's next generation of leaders through residential and cohort-based programming; directly comparable to EPLF in mission, cohort structure, and alumni network focus.
• Mandela Rhodes Foundation: South Africa-based scholarship and leadership development foundation for African postgraduate students; comparable in combining scholarship funding with leadership development and a structured alumni network across Africa.
• Yiaga Africa: Nigerian civic organization focused on youth political participation, election observation, and legislative engagement; directly comparable to EPLF's mission of nurturing young Nigerians into credible political and civic leadership.
• British Council Future Leaders Connect: UK-funded leadership development program connecting emerging policy leaders globally through structured cohorts and networking; comparable in cohort design, policy focus, and international alumni community.
• Apolitical Foundation: Global platform and community focused on supporting public servants and political leaders with training, networking, and resources; directly comparable in its mission to equip emerging political leaders with skills and connections.

Emerging players

• BudgIT Foundation: Nigerian civic technology and governance organization; while focused on public finance transparency rather than political leadership training, it operates in the same Nigerian civic ecosystem with overlapping advisory networks (EPLF faculty includes BudgIT's co-founder).
• LEAD Africa: Nigerian youth leadership organization running community-based civic engagement and leadership training programs; partially comparable as an emerging player in the same Nigerian youth civic leadership niche.

Broad incumbents

• Mandela Washington Fellowship (Young African Leaders Initiative): U.S. State Department flagship fellowship for young African leaders; covers leadership, civic engagement, and public management across the continent — the most prominent comparable political/civic leadership program operating in Africa and a benchmark for EPLF's design.

Others

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Political Education Programs: German political foundation running civic and political education programs globally, including in Nigeria; comparable as a long-standing institutional player in political leadership development with similar donor-backed fellowship structures.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eplfellowship
• Facebookfacebook.com/EPLFellowship
• Instagraminstagram.com/eplfellowship_
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eplfellowship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF)