Yiaga Africa

19/09/2026

Democracy is more than the ballot box. It is the freedom to speak, the right to question power, the space to disagree, and the opportunity for citizens to shape the decisions that affect their lives. It thrives when human rights are protected, institutions are defended, and governance is built on dialogue, participation and accountability.

A democracy is only as strong as its people’s ability to speak, engage, deliberate and hold power to account.

18/09/2026

Got innovative ideas for protecting elections with AI? Here’s your stage. The AI and Democracy Forum just opened its AI in Elections Sandbox, a call for startups, researchers, civic technologists, nonprofits, academics, and independent builders working on real, working AI solutions across four areas: fighting disinformation and deepfakes, voter education and inclusion, election observation and data tools, and transparency and trust tech.

If you’ve got a working proof of concept, this comes with grant funding, a live pitch before an expert jury and Forum delegates, and direct access to funders, policymakers, and potential partners, plus visibility before a global AI and democracy audience.

Solo innovator or full team, local or international, if you’re building for democracy, this is your window.

Apply now 👉 aianddemocracyforum.org/sandbox

18/09/2026

18/09/2026

This week’s guest list has entries, exclusions, and a few uncomfortable questions. FG tells foreign diplomats to mind their lane ahead of 2027. Only 443 women out of 4,408 candidates cleared for the National Assembly race, and 4 states have zero female senatorial candidates. INEC’s final presidential list drops, 18 candidates, just 2 women. The opposition quietly works toward one single candidate. And the ADC asks INEC to keep Tinubu-endorsing lecturers away from collating election results. It’s a loaded week.

Get the full gist here 👉 https://bit.ly/Series3Issue36

16/09/2026

We often measure participation by what happens on election day. But what happens after the votes are counted? Who is asking questions, demanding accountability, shaping policies, challenging misinformation and making sure citizens remain part of the decisions that affect their lives?

In this edition of the GenZ Blog, Irene explores what it means to reimagine democracy beyond the ballot box, from everyday civic participation and storytelling to the role of young people in shaping the societies they want to live in.

Read the full piece 👉 https://shorturl.at/7r0Oz

16/09/2026

Be part of the team keeping Nigeria’s elections transparent.

Ahead of the 2027 General Elections, Yiaga Africa is calling for Data Clerks and Floor Managers to join ERAD 2.0, our Election Result Analysis Dashboard tracking how results are uploaded, recorded, and reported.

If you’re detail-oriented, comfortable with a computer, can work fast without losing accuracy, and have the technical know-how to support results data entry., we want to hear from you.

Apply before 21st September, 2026 → Data Clerks bit.ly/4AbAA7J
Floor Managers bit.ly/4xs9k2y

15/09/2026

Democracy is a promise we make to one another: that every voice matters, every citizen counts, and the future belongs to all of us.

Today, we celebrate that promise. But as we honour democracy, we must also ask: what are we doing to keep it alive?

For Democracy does not live in constitutions alone. It lives in what we defend, what we demand, and how we choose to participate.

Happy International Day of Democracy.

15/09/2026

Today, we celebrate the people, principles and freedoms that give democracy its meaning. We celebrate the courage to speak, the right to participate, the responsibility to listen and the collective power to shape a better future.

Democracy may be tested, but it is never beyond renewal. May we keep building societies where every voice can be heard, every citizen can participate and every generation can believe in the possibility of a better tomorrow.

Here’s to a future where democracy grows stronger, more inclusive and closer to the people it serves.

Happy International Day of Democracy!

12/09/2026

Got an AI solution that could change how democracy works? We want to see it.
The AI on Democracy Forum (AIDF) is calling on innovators, technologists, researchers, and organisations building solutions for democratic life to showcase their work.
From:
AI-powered fake news detector
Election results monitoring, reporting & verification tech.
New tools for civic participation and accountability ✅️

Don’t just tell us what AI can do. Show us.
Call for Exhibitors is OPEN.