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Category: SPA II

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Real-Time Election Observation During the Enugu State Local Government Elections

Real-time election observation can provide a clearer picture of what is happening at polling units as an election unfolds.

During the Enugu State Local Government elections, South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and JDPC, supported a coordinated observation process involving 50 trained observers deployed across eight Local Government Areas.

The observation process combined field reporting with a central Situation Room, allowing information from polling units to be received and reviewed as the election progressed.

Coordinating Election Observation From the Situation Room

While observers were deployed across the eight LGAs, the SSDO team worked from a central Situation Room.

Observers uploaded updates from their assigned polling units, giving the team access to information from different locations as the process unfolded.

The team received and reviewed these updates in real time. This created a structured flow of information between polling units and the people coordinating the observation process.

The Situation Room therefore served as a central point for receiving field updates and maintaining an overview of the observation exercise.

Taking Observation Beyond the Situation Room

The observation effort also included direct engagement with the electoral process on the ground.

The SSDO and Action Aid Nigeria team visited polling units to gain a firsthand understanding of how the process was unfolding.

These field visits complemented the information being received from trained observers and provided another perspective on the election.

The team also joined Afia TV for a live discussion on the election observation effort. This provided an opportunity to explain the observation process and discuss developments from the field.

A press conference was also held to share observations from the monitoring exercise

Connecting Field Information With Public Engagement

Effective election observation depends on more than having people at polling units.

It also requires systems that allow information to be captured, reviewed, and communicated in a timely way.

The 2026 observation process connected trained young observers across eight LGAs with a central Situation Room and wider public engagement.

This structure allowed information from the field to move through different stages of the observation process, from polling units to the team reviewing updates and then to public discussions.

Strengthening Citizen-Led Election Observation

The experience demonstrates the value of combining trained citizens with systems that support coordinated observation.

For SSDO, the election observation process provided young people with an active role in documenting electoral processes while creating channels for information from polling units to inform wider engagement.

Through field observation, real-time reporting, direct monitoring, and public communication, the process supported a more coordinated approach to documenting the Enugu State Local Government elections.

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Enugu State Local Government Election Observers Training

The Enugu State Local Government Election Observers Training prepared 50 young people to observe and document the 2026 local government elections across eight Local Government Areas.

South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and JDPC, organised the training ahead of the Enugu State Local Government Chairmanship and Councillorship elections.

The training focused on equipping young people with the practical knowledge required to observe polling activities, document information accurately, and report issues that arise during the electoral process.

Preparing Election Observers for the 2026 Elections

Election observation requires observers to understand both the polling process and their responsibilities in documenting what they see.

During the Enugu State Local Government Election Observers Training, participants received practical guidance on monitoring polling processes and recording their observations accurately.

They also learned how to identify and report incidents and understand the roles and responsibilities of key actors throughout the electoral process.

This preparation provides observers with a common understanding of what to monitor and how to document their observations from polling locations.

From Training to Election Observation

Following the training, the 50 young observers were deployed across eight Local Government Areas for the 2026 elections.

Their role is to observe polling activities and provide structured information on what takes place at their assigned locations.

This creates an avenue for young people to participate directly in the electoral process beyond voting.

It also supports the documentation of experiences from polling points, including issues that may require attention during or after the elections.

Building on Previous Election Observation

The training builds on SSDO’s previous work with ActionAid Nigeria and JDPC during the 2024 Enugu State Local Government elections.

Ahead of the 2024 elections, the partners engaged ENSIEC, security agencies, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, and women’s groups on supporting a peaceful electoral process.

The engagement contributed to a peace accord signed by participating political parties. Trained observers were also deployed across all 17 Local Government Areas.

The 2026 training therefore continues an approach that combines youth participation, election observation, and engagement with relevant electoral stakeholders.

Supporting Youth Participation in Local Governance

Young people have an important role to play in documenting and understanding local electoral processes.

Through the Enugu State Local Government Election Observers Training, participants gained practical experience in election observation while contributing to the documentation of the 2026 polls.

For SSDO, this work forms part of broader efforts to strengthen citizen participation, accountability, and engagement with local governance processes in Enugu State.

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Learning From Communities: Tracking Change Across Enugu

Access to finance, productive resources, and practical knowledge can shape how communities improve their livelihoods.

These resources can also influence how people participate in civic and community life.

South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria under the Strategic Partnership Agreement II (SPA II), supports community structures and interventions that address these gaps.

As part of the programme’s monitoring and evaluation, SSDO’s MEL Lead, Favour Kalu, joined ActionAid Nigeria for a visit to communities in Aninri, Isi-Uzo, and Igbo-Eze North LGAs.

The visit provided an opportunity to see how people are applying the knowledge, resources, and support they have gained through the programme.

Turning Community Finance Into Livelihood Opportunities

Access to community-based finance can give people resources to invest in existing businesses or explore new opportunities.

In Isi-Uzo, Madam Lucy used finance accessed through her Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) to invest in a rice planter.

The equipment has improved her farming activities while creating an additional income stream.

She also hires the planter to other farmers, allowing the investment to support her own production and other farmers in the community.

Mr. Ogbuzuru has also used VSLA support to improve his milling business.

Alongside this investment, he is applying sack-farming techniques from his training to expand his livelihood activities.

These experiences show how community finance can support people to invest in practical resources and build on existing livelihoods.

Applying New Knowledge on Farms

Finance is only one part of livelihood development.

Practical knowledge can also help farmers improve production and make better use of available resources.

In Igbo-Eze North, farmers such as Promise are applying agroecological practices on their farms.

These practices include using organic manure and mulching to support farm productivity.

For farmers, the benefits extend beyond production.

The produce can help households meet their food needs while also creating opportunities to generate income.

By applying techniques from their training, farmers are adapting new knowledge to their own farming contexts

Taking Civic Knowledge Into Communities

The programme’s impact also extends beyond livelihoods.

In Aninri, young people have taken civic education into their communities.

A voter registration drive helped hundreds of residents complete the registration process.

This shows another way that knowledge and community structures can translate into practical action.

Young people used the information and engagement opportunities available to them to support civic participation within their communities.

Different Communities, Different Pathways

The experiences across the three LGAs show different ways people are applying programme support.

In Isi-Uzo, community finance has supported investment in farming and small businesses.

In Igbo-Eze North, farmers are applying agroecological practices to their production.

Meanwhile, young people in Aninri are using civic knowledge to support participation in their communities.

Although the activities differ, they share a common thread.

People are adapting the resources and knowledge available to them to address needs within their own communities.

This local ownership matters because sustained change depends on people being able to use and build on available opportunities.

Learning From Community Experience

The joint monitoring and evaluation visit by SSDO and ActionAid Nigeria is helping document these experiences.

It also provides an opportunity to understand how programme support is contributing to continued community-led action.

Monitoring therefore goes beyond checking whether activities took place.

It also helps capture how people are using what they have gained and where additional support may be needed.

Through this process, SSDO and its partners can learn from community experiences and strengthen future programming.

The experiences from Aninri, Isi-Uzo, and Igbo-Eze North show how finance, knowledge, and community structures can contribute to practical changes in livelihoods, farming, and civic participation.

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Enugu Youth Climate Action Forum Connects Young People to Green Opportunities

Young people across Enugu State are experiencing the effects of climate change while seeking practical opportunities to build sustainable livelihoods.

South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria under the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA II) Project, is supporting young people to participate in climate action and explore emerging opportunities in the green economy.

To commemorate International Youth Day 2026, SSDO convened the Enugu Youth Climate Action Forum to connect young people with stakeholders working across climate action, skills development, and green   employment.

Connecting Young People to the Green Economy

Climate action is creating new opportunities across sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and climate technology.

For young people to benefit from these opportunities, they need access to relevant skills, information, networks, and pathways into employment or enterprise.

The Enugu Youth Climate Action Forum brought together young people, government representatives, private sector organisations, training institutions, development partners, and practitioners working across these areas.

The discussions focused on practical entry points into the green economy rather than climate change as a standalone issue.

Participants explored the skills required for emerging green jobs and considered practical steps they could take towards building careers and livelihoods in these sectors.

Exploring Green Jobs and Livelihood Opportunities

The forum highlighted several areas with potential for youth participation in Enugu’s growing green economy.

Renewable energy offers opportunities for young people to develop technical skills and build enterprises around clean energy solutions.

Sustainable agriculture provides another pathway, particularly as climate change continues to affect food production and rural livelihoods.

Participants also examined opportunities in waste management, the circular economy, and climate technology.

These conversations helped connect broad discussions about climate action with specific sectors where young people can develop skills, businesses, and careers.

Connecting Climate Conversations to Real Opportunities

A practical example emerged through the recognition of a young entrepreneur using green energy in her business.

The Enugu State SME agency awarded her ₦100,000 to support her enterprise in recognition of her work.

The award demonstrated how support for green businesses can translate climate conversations into tangible opportunities for young entrepreneurs.

It also gave participants a concrete example of how innovation, enterprise development, and climate action can intersect.

Giving Young People a Voice in Climate Action

The Enugu Youth Climate Action Forum also created space for young people to contribute their perspectives to climate and employment discussions in the state.

Their participation brought community experiences and youth priorities into conversations with institutions working across government, business, skills development, and development programming.

This engagement is important as climate policies and economic transitions increasingly shape the opportunities available to young people.

Meaningful youth participation requires more than inviting young people into conversations. It requires creating opportunities for them to contribute ideas, build relevant skills, and engage with decision-makers.

Supporting Youth Participation in a Greener Economy

The Enugu Youth Climate Action Forum forms part of ongoing work under SPA II to support young people to build resilience, participate in decision-making, and contribute to greener and more inclusive communities.

By connecting young people with stakeholders across the green economy, the forum created a practical space for knowledge exchange, skills exploration, and career development.

For SSDO, this work reflects a broader approach to youth engagement that connects participation with practical opportunities and community-level action.

As Enugu responds to the changing climate and the opportunities emerging from the green economy, young people have an important role in shaping the transition and contributing to more resilient communities.

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Youth Monitoring of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025: From Evidence to Stakeholder Action

South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria, strengthens youth participation in public policy monitoring across Enugu State.

Through youth-led monitoring of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, SSDO supported young people to examine how citizens understand and experience the new tax framework.

The findings provided evidence for a stakeholder engagement focused on taxpayer rights, transparency, multiple taxation, and public understanding of the new tax system.

Taking Youth Monitoring Beyond Awareness

Understanding a new law is only one part of meaningful public participation.

Citizens also need opportunities to examine how policies are implemented and how those policies affect their daily experiences.

Through this initiative, 51 youth monitors were trained and deployed across all 17 Local Government Areas in Enugu State.

They engaged traders, artisans, small business owners, and other citizens to document experiences around taxation.

The monitors gathered information on public awareness of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the taxes and levies people encountered, and their experiences with tax collection.

This process moved youth engagement beyond policy awareness towards evidence-based monitoring of implementation.

What the Youth Monitoring Found

The monitoring revealed gaps between the provisions of the new law and what citizens understand or experience in their communities.

These gaps matter because limited understanding can make it difficult for taxpayers to recognise their rights and obligations.

The findings also raised questions around transparency in revenue collection and the continued experience of multiple taxation.

Rather than treating these findings as an endpoint, SSDO used the evidence to create space for dialogue with relevant stakeholders.

Bringing Evidence Into the Stakeholder Conversation

SSDO convened tax authorities, government representatives, civil society organisations, youth representatives, and other stakeholders to examine the findings.

The stakeholder engagement provided an opportunity to discuss the issues identified through the youth monitoring process.

Discussions focused on taxpayer rights, transparency in revenue collection, multiple taxation, and how citizens can better understand the new tax system.

The engagement also created space for stakeholders to consider how evidence from communities can inform ongoing conversations about tax implementation.

For young monitors, the process connected the evidence they gathered with direct engagement with institutions responsible for policy implementation.

Building a Continued Youth Monitoring Process

The stakeholder engagement marks the beginning of a more structured phase of youth-led monitoring.

Youth monitors will continue documenting experiences in their communities and following up on issues identified through the monitoring process.

They will also track stakeholder commitments and use evidence to engage duty bearers on implementation concerns.

This creates a feedback process between citizens, young monitors, and institutions responsible for public policy and revenue administration.

Strengthening Youth Participation in Public Policy

Youth participation in policy processes becomes more meaningful when young people have opportunities to generate evidence and engage decision-makers.

The Nigeria Tax Act 2025 monitoring process provides one example of how young people can contribute to understanding policy implementation at community level.

Through this work, SSDO is supporting young people to move from receiving information about public policies to examining how those policies are experienced by citizens.

The approach also strengthens the role of community-level evidence in conversations around transparency, accountability, and responsive public administration.

SSDO continues to support mechanisms that connect citizens, evidence, and public institutions in ways that strengthen accountability and meaningful participation in governance.