Top 7 Non-Governmental Organizations In Nigeria. The list of leading NGOs shaping Nigeria’s future is part of FAME’s effort to spotlight organizations whose collective efforts greatly contribute to the development of the country through key sectors such as education, and economic empowerment.
NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, are social and community groups that operate independently from governments. Most NGOs are nonprofits, but not all nonprofits are considered NGOs. These organizations are established by individuals, groups, or associations to address social, environmental, and humanitarian issues. They play a crucial role in transforming and developing society by creating a lasting impact in various communities aligned with their vision and mission.
With a population of over 1.4 billion people, it’s important to acknowledge the crucial role played by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in various fields across the African continent. With a population of over 200 million people, Nigeria is still reliant on the contributions of NGOs to create better opportunities. Although it’s challenging to determine the exact number of NGOs currently in existence, as of 2009, there were about 46,000 NGOs registered with the CAC in Nigeria. Although Nigeria does not have a current number of registered NGOs in the country, it is safe to say that in the past 13 years – i.e., 2009 to 2023, the number of NGOs in the country must have doubled.
Below is a list of 7 NGOs in Nigeria that have been consistent, innovative, and effective in their service to humanity.
#1. Fashioned and Made for Excellence Foundation (The FAME Foundation) www.thefamefoundation.org.ng – founded in 2017
Based in Ibadan, Nigeria, this leading volunteer-driven, youth-led, youth development, African non-profit organization, was founded in 2017 by Raphael Stephen who gave an inspiring TEDx talk recently. The education-focused initiative is committed to developing the leaders we wish we had in Nigeria, while also preparing youths to access dignified and fulfilling work after secondary school through the provision of high-quality education.
The FAME Foundation is dedicated to serving humanity by transforming education through innovative and strategic programs aimed at students in secondary schools from low-income families and underserved communities. These interventions include the transformational FAME Global Leadership Programme (FGLP), FAME Lead Project (FLP), FAME Teacher Leader Project (FTLP), FAME Youth Corps Changemaker Project (FYCCP), and FAME Get One There (FGOT). Through these initiatives, FAME addresses the leadership and learning crisis in Nigeria.
Since its inception, The FAME Foundation has reached over 40,000 youth across more than 200 schools and has partnered with thousands of individuals and corporate organizations. The foundation has a youth volunteer strength of over 3,000 youths who are most affected by the leadership and learning crisis in Nigeria and have contributed to various activities in nearly a decade. They plan to educate and develop one million leaders for Nigeria and Africa through secondary education by 2030.
To learn more about how you can partner with FAME, please click this link or contact the team If you have any questions or need more information about their activities at partnerships@thefamefoundation.org.ng
#2. Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) www.tonyelumelufoundation.org – founded in 2010
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is an African non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Tony Elumelu and headquartered in Lagos. It is a pioneer member of the Global Impact Investment Rating System (GIIRS). So far, the Foundation has empowered over 18,000 African entrepreneurs across 54 African countries.
The Foundation’s mission is rooted in Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.
Since the launch of the TEF Entrepreneurship Program in 2015, the Foundation has trained over 1.5 million young Africans on www.tefconnect.com, Africa’s largest digital entrepreneurship ecosystem, directly funding over 18,000 African women and men, who have collectively created over 400,000 direct and indirect jobs. You can read about TEF here
#3. FATE Foundation (FF) www.fatefoundation.org – founded in 2000
FATE Foundation was established in 2000 by Fola Adeola to tap into Nigeria’s strong entrepreneurship culture to drive job creation, economic development, and social impact. The foundation is Nigeria’s leading business incubator and accelerator program, designed to empower aspiring and emerging Nigerian entrepreneurs to initiate, expand, and elevate their businesses.
Since its inception, the FATE Foundation has impacted over 230,000 entrepreneurs and graduated 7,000 individuals across Universities in 30 states in Nigeria. You can read more about the FATE Foundation here
#4. Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) www.ja-nigeria.org – founded in 1999
Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN) is part of Junior Achievement Worldwide, the world’s oldest and largest non-profit economic education organization operating in over 100 countries. They are dedicated to empowering students in financial literacy, work readiness, entrepreneurship, and digital literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.
Since its inception, JA Nigeria has impacted over 1,000,000 young people in over 5000 schools across the country with the support of over 6000 volunteers. You can read more about JA Nigeria here
#5. LEAP Africa (LA) www.leapafrica.org – founded in 2002
Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability & Professionalism (LEAP) Africa was founded in 2002 and is committed to addressing the crisis of leadership in Africa by facilitating values-driven leadership programs for personal, organizational, and community transformation. LEAP Africa’s work has been built on the premise that Africa’s transformation rests on young dynamic, innovative, ethical leaders and entrepreneurs.
With footprints in over 26 states in Nigeria and recent programming in 8 African countries, LEAP Africa is on a journey of raising leaders that will transform Africa. Located in Lagos, LEAP Africa has impacted 7,600 entrepreneurs, 24,000 students, and 5,000 persons through various leadership programs. To read more, kindly click here.
#6. Chess in Slums was established in 2018 by Tunde Onakoya, he conceived the idea of how the game of chess can be used to lift indigent children out of the endless loop of poverty and societal denigration. They adopt an innovative approach where they use the game of chess to empower children from impoverished backgrounds to learn academic, educational, and critical thinking skills that will help them secure a better tomorrow.
Since its inception, Chess in Slums has enrolled over 1000 children and secured lifelong scholarships for over 200 Children from indigent homes in Nigeria. You can read more about the CISA here
#7. Slum2School Africa (CISA) www.slum2school.org – founded in 2012
Slum2School is a volunteer-driven development organization founded by Otto Orondaam. The organization focuses on transforming society by empowering underserved children in slums and remote communities with quality education, entrepreneurial skills, and psychosocial support. This enables the children to realize their full potential and become social reformers.
Since its inception, Slum2School has impacted 675,502 children with academic scholarships and learning programs in 554 communities. If you’re interested, you can read more about Slum2School here
