The Inclusive Mobilization for Participation, Advocacy, and Civic Transformation (IMPACT) Project has set an ambitious goal of raising voter turnout in Anambra and Imo States to at least 25% in the next electoral cycle, up from Anambra’s historic low of 10% in the 2021 governorship election.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the project is being implemented by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in partnership with the Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC). It seeks to increase the civic and political participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs), while tackling structural exclusion, voter apathy, and disinformation.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that
SIDEC’s Executive Director, Mrs. Ugochi Ehiahuruike while speaking at the onboarding in Awka, explained that the initiative builds on her organization’s inclusive governance work across Anambra’s 158 structured markets, where women and youth dominate as traders and apprentices but remain underrepresented in leadership.
Ehiahuruike said Project IMPACT will institutionalize democratic elections for women and PWDs in 15 key markets—five per zone—ending a history of symbolic appointments.
“Despite their numbers, women and PWDs rarely hold meaningful leadership positions. This project is about transforming token representation into real leadership,” she stated.
According to her, earlier interventions in markets demonstrated that inclusive leadership delivers tangible benefits such as fire trucks, road construction, and health centres.
The project will combine grassroots voter education, digital campaigns, radio jingles, leadership training, stakeholder dialogues, and counter-disinformation measures to mobilize citizens.
At the policy level, it will push for the adoption of the Special Seats Bill in both states to secure legislative representation for women and PWDs. Currently, Anambra has just one woman out of 30 lawmakers, while Imo has none out of 27.
“Despite Nigeria’s democratic progress, representation of women and PWDs remains dismal. Without institutionalized mechanisms, participation will remain symbolic and voter apathy will persist,” Ehiahuruike said.
Nationally, women hold only 3.7% of Senate seats and 3.9% in the House of Representatives. In markets, leadership is still dominated by men due to cultural norms, financial barriers, and non-democratic selections. PWDs face even greater challenges, from physical inaccessibility to outright exclusion from leadership considerations.
Ehiahuruike stressed that addressing these barriers requires more than token appointments. “True inclusion demands democratic legitimacy and grassroots participation,” she added.
“To strengthen implementation, SIDEC is collaborating with Anambra and Imo-based civil society groups including Development Dynamics, Habitat Care, IPCRC, JDPC Nnewi, and JONAPWD. These partnerships are expected to provide local insights and ensure grassroots ownership of the project.
Project Objectives include: raise voter turnout in Anambra from 10% (2021) to at least 25%, institutionalize democratic leadership for women and PWDs in 21 markets, build grassroots and stakeholder support for the Special Seats Bill and counter political disinformation through digital literacy and fact-checking.
Expected Outcomes include: Increased civic awareness and voter participation among women, youth, and PWDs, women and PWDs contesting and occupying leadership positions in markets, broader grassroots and political backing for inclusive governance policies and improved resilience against disinformation.”
“By combining grassroots mobilization, digital outreach, and advocacy for policy reforms, Project IMPACT aims to transform symbolic representation into genuine participation in governance, she said.
Ehiahuruike concluded: “When women, youth, and persons with disabilities are part of decision-making, democracy becomes more inclusive, responsive, and impactful.”
In their goodwill messages, stakeholders pledged strong support. Chairman of JONAPWD, Ugo Okeke, said: “If we all work together, we can achieve 25 percent turnout in the forthcoming election. We must also pay attention to voter security.”
Kenneth Ogoaju, Chairman of Agboedo Motor Spare Parts Market, and Juliet Ezenwosu, National President of the Artisan Women Association, expressed readiness to partner with the project.
Representing civil society groups, Chioma Okeke and Ugochi Nevorji, Woman Leader of Relief Market, Ogbaru, praised SIDEC’s “doggedness in driving inclusion and described the initiative as a step toward building an egalitarian society.
