Know Your Laws, Shape Your State · Ekiti State House of Assembly, October 2026
Fellowship · Cohort 1, 2026
South West Legislative Fellowship
State Houses of Assembly make the laws and pass the budgets that shape daily life, yet their records are hard to find and harder to read. This fellowship puts trained young people on the ground to change that.
Over six months, twelve fellows, two from each South West state, follow the Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo State Houses of Assembly closely. They keep each Assembly's record current on the Legislative Intelligence Platform, turn proceedings into plain-language public information in English and Yoruba, and form a pipeline of youth legislative talent for the region.
Supported by
12Fellows, two per state
6South West State Houses of Assembly covered
6Months of hands-on legislative work
9Learning modules, from the Constitution to the state budget
Why this programme
Built on what worked in Ekiti
Our Ekiti baseline in May 2026 showed that structured, evidence-based engagement changes practice. The House adopted the report, activated e-voting to publish member votes on Third Readings and appointments, and keeps its bill progression chart up to date.
The fellowship takes that model to five more Assemblies, with trained people on the ground rather than remote monitoring alone.
The work
What Fellows Do
Keep the record current
Capture bills, motions, petitions, resolutions and votes from every plenary sitting on the LIP, each one verified against an official source.
Analyse bills and budgets
Produce bill analyses and a budget oversight brief for their state, and frame the questions citizens and committees should be asking.
Explain it in plain language
Publish a monthly state legislative digest and explainers in English and Yoruba, and feed state content to Ilimi, our WhatsApp civic assistant.
Connect young people
Co-facilitate Legis360 on Campus sessions that link students, civil society and journalists with their State House of Assembly.
The fellowship journey
From recording the House to improving it
01
Induction
Fellows begin with an induction on how State Houses of Assembly work, ethics and neutrality, and capturing data to the LIP standard.
02
Capture
Learn how their House works and build a data routine so every plenary record is published promptly after each sitting.
03
Analyse
Bill and budget analysis, monthly digests and campus sessions, with a mid-point retreat to plan each pair's capstone.
04
Capstone
Each pair delivers a project that leaves something lasting in their state and presents it at Demo Day to partners and the press.
Curriculum
What Fellows Learn
Nine modules, reinforced by monthly virtual learning labs built around a live task from the fellow's own state.
01
Foundations of state legislatures
The Constitution's provisions on State Houses of Assembly, separation of powers and standing orders.
02
The legislative process in practice
Bill stages from first reading to assent, motions, petitions, committees and public hearings.
03
Budget and fiscal oversight
The state budget cycle, Appropriation Law, audit reports and the Public Accounts Committee.
04
Legislative data and the LIP
Capturing, verifying and publishing proceedings, with source citation, to the LIP standard.
05
Legislative research and policy analysis
Bill analysis, comparative review across states, policy briefs and public hearing memoranda.
06
Civic communication and public engagement
Plain-language and Yoruba content, working with journalists, and reaching citizens.
07
Ethics, neutrality and data protection
Non-partisanship, confidentiality and duties under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
08
Transparency advocacy and reform
Turning findings into evidence-based recommendations and tracking their adoption.
09
Leadership and career pathways
Professional writing, legislative and policy careers, and a personal development plan.
Capstone projects
Leaving Something Lasting
Transparency Snapshot
A short baseline of their State House of Assembly using the Ekiti method, with three priority recommendations.
Oversight Brief
An analysis of a priority bill or the state budget, paired with a public hearing memorandum.
Citizen Campaign
An English and Yoruba campaign that brings constituents to the LIP and Ilimi, with measured reach.
Process Improvement
A practical contribution to how the Assembly's work is recorded and shared, such as a digitised Votes and Proceedings archive or a published bill progression chart.
All six capstones will be presented at Demo Day and published on the Legislative Intelligence Platform.
Cohort 1 · 2026
Meet the Fellows
Twelve fellows, selected from a highly competitive field of applications across the six South West states. We are introducing them one by one; more profiles are on the way.
Partners
Delivered by Legis360, supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund
The fellowship is funded under NYFF's 2026 Catalyst Grant and covers the State Houses of Assembly of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo.
Follow the fellows' work as it lands on the record