Some 200 secondary school students gather in Lagos today to showcase practical solutions to challenges affecting their schools and communities. The events mark the conclusion of global non-profit Narrative 4’s Cities School Programme. Students will take part in an interschool Story Exchange, present their creative work and pitch their civic engagement solutions to a panel of expert judges who will award the winning school a US$1000 grant to support the implementation of its proposed project. Over the course of November, a total of 1000 students will gather in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna to celebrate the conclusion of this year’s Cities School Programme and compete for project funding.
Students from 10 secondary schools in multiple Lagos districts have spent the past 6 months developing the skills to become compassionate leaders in their communities. Today’s event serves as both a celebration of the programme journey and a platform for young people to turn the challenges they identify in their communities into opportunities for imaginative problem solving and positive change. Through drama and dance presentations, an exhibition of students’ visual artworks and a programme of activities, the gathering is a chance for students to exchange stories, share their hopes for their communities and engage with perspectives that differ from their own.
“Young people’s hopes and insights are incredibly powerful. This event is a celebration not only of the skills that students have learned over the past six months, but of what they are capable of making possible within their communities,” says Buchi Onyegbule, Narrative 4’s Director of Africa Operations. “These youth leaders are building a more compassionate future for Nigeria, based on collaboration and mutual respect.”
As part of the programme, 30 Lagos-based teachers (and a total of 160 teachers throughout Nigeria) trained to become certified Narrative 4 facilitators and guided their students through a series of Story Exchanges, learning resource modules and community-building activities. The youth participants examined their local environments, identified key challenges affecting their communities and collaborated on practical solutions.
Doctor and health influencer Chinonso Egemba (widely known as Aproko Doctor) reflected on the power of stories to heal divides and spark civic action in his keynote speech at the event. Egemba shared: “The sheer range of creative ideas on display at today’s event is a reminder that a brighter, more inclusive Nigeria is not only possible, but is already being built by young people across the country.”
Later in November, an additional 600 Kaduna students and 200 students based in Abuja will come together in their respective cities to pitch more community solutions and celebrate the conclusion of the initiative.
Alongside the programme in Nigeria, the Cities School Programme is running simultaneously in Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Kenya, building a continent-wide network of civically engaged, creative and tolerant youth leaders. Narrative 4 works in six countries in Africa, where 42,808 students took part in Narrative 4 programmes in 2025. The organisation works in schools and universities, engaging young people in initiatives to make positive changes in their communities.
Through mentorship and guided creative programming, the young people will continue developing their creative leadership skills in the coming months. Students in the winning school will begin implementing their community solution with support from Narrative 4, while all participating schools now have the training framework to continue fostering student confidence and civic agency.
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