The West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) is inviting applications from young graduates and early-career professionals from Benin, Mali, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana and Nigeria for its 2027 Next Generation Internship Programme (NGIP). Running from January to July 2027, this fully funded six-month internship provides hands-on experience in civil society operations, programme implementation, research, advocacy, communications, knowledge management and monitoring and evaluation. The programme has been running since 2008 and is designed to equip the next generation of African civil society leaders and practitioners with practical professional skills. Nigerian applicants are placed at the WACSI Node office in Abuja and must already reside in Abuja as accommodation is not provided for this placement. Application deadline is 8 November 2026.
WACSI Next Generation Internship Programme 2027 Available Positions
Capacity Development Intern:
- Support training preparation, development of learning materials, programme coordination and report writing
- Requirements: First degree in International Affairs, Political Science, Public Policy, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication or a related field
Knowledge Management Intern:
- Assist with research, publications, documentation, information management and knowledge-sharing activities
- Requirements: First degree in International Affairs, Political Science, Public Policy, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication or a related field
Policy Influencing and Advocacy Intern:
- Support policy research, legislative analysis, advocacy activities, policy meetings and report preparation
- Requirements: First degree in International Affairs, Political Science, Public Policy, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication or a related field
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Intern:
- Assist with data collection, data analysis, programme monitoring, reporting and documentation of results
- Requirements: First degree in Statistics, Data Management, Mathematics, Data Science and Analytics, Project Management or Economics
Communications Intern:
- Support content creation, social media and website management, newsletters, event coverage and digital communications
- Requirements: First degree in Mass Communication, Development Communication, International Relations, Social Psychology, Graphic Design, Marketing or a related field
WACSI Node Nigeria Intern (Abuja):
- Support policy research, advocacy activities, data management, meetings and programme implementation at the Nigeria office
- Requirements: First degree in International Affairs, Political Science, Public Policy, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication or a related field
- Must already reside in Abuja, Nigeria
Requirements for the WACSI Next Generation Internship Programme 2027
- First degree in a relevant discipline matching the position applied for
- Interest in civil society, nonprofit organisation management and international development
- Strong research, writing and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and internet research
- Good interpersonal skills, initiative and willingness to learn
- Ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision in a multicultural environment
- Proficiency in English, French or Portuguese with working knowledge of another of these languages is an advantage and will be given preference
- Applicants who cannot complete the full six-month programme may be required to refund the total cost of the internship package to WACSI
WACSI Next Generation Internship Programme Benefits
- Monthly stipend
- Lunch on working days throughout the internship
- Furnished accommodation for eligible interns (not available for Nigerian Node placement)
- Flight support to and from home country for eligible international interns
- Fully funded six-month professional development experience within one of West Africa’s leading civil society institutes
To Apply Send Your CV To Email: recruitment@wacsi.org
