Thirty-six Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones are participating in a multi-phase capacity strengthening programme under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership Nigeria (RWVL-N) Project, a five-year initiative aimed at reinforcing the institutional foundations of civil society groups working on gender equality.

The programme, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by ActionAid Nigeria, is designed to strengthen organisational systems, improve sustainability, and enhance the long-term impact of women-led advocacy groups across the country. It represents one of the more coordinated efforts in recent years to build capacity across multiple organisations simultaneously, rather than through fragmented interventions.

The process began with an inception and annual planning workshop that brought together Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors of the 36 participating organisations. The session served not only as an orientation, but also as a joint planning exercise in which participants aligned priorities and developed a shared implementation framework for the project.
   
According to ActionAid Nigeria, the initiative is intended to go beyond routine programme support.
   
Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu said: “The RWVL-N Project is focused on building strong, independent, and resilient organisations. By strengthening institutional capacity, we are enabling our partners to expand their reach, deepen their impact, and sustainably advance the rights of women and girls across Nigeria.”
   
As part of the next phase, communications officers from the 36 organisations underwent specialised training facilitated by the Voice of Women Empowerment Foundation (VOWEF), in partnership with Women Radio WFM 91.7. The training focused on strategic storytelling, message development and media engagement, areas increasingly seen as critical to the visibility and influence of civil society organisations.
   
Project Director at VOWEF, Bukola Gbede, said effective communication remains central to advocacy outcomes.
   
“Advancing the work of women’s rights organisations requires the right framing and the right caption,” she said.
   
Communications Specialist at VOWEF, Emmanuel Olonade, also underscored the importance of visibility in advocacy work.
   
“Capacity strengthening in communications ensures that the work of WROs is not just done, but seen and understood,” he said. “When organisations communicate effectively, they build trust, attract partnerships, and drive meaningful social change.”
   
Nigeria’s women’s rights sector continues to face challenges of limited funding, uneven visibility and operational constraints, despite playing a critical role in community-level advocacy and policy engagement. The RWVL-N Project seeks to address these structural gaps by strengthening existing organisations rather than creating new ones.