By Prosper Mene
Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), in partnership with Cummins, has held the 2026 edition of its flagship Leadership, Empowerment, Achievement and Development (LEAD) Camp.
Themed “Her Voice. Her Vision. Her Future,” the two-day camp brought together 360 girls from 11 states, including the Federal Capital Territory, for sessions on leadership, personal branding, artificial intelligence, health and wellbeing, and vision planning.
The camp opened with remarks from Mrs. Titi Akinsanmi, Vice Chairman of JAN’s Board of Directors, and Mr. Oladipupo Olabode, representing Cummins.
Participants engaged with accomplished women across industries, with practical sessions on confident leadership, resilience, AI and future readiness, and intentional goal-setting through vision board exercises.
A major highlight was the appearance of LEAD Camp alumna Laure Tijani, who shared her journey of overcoming barriers to education to earn life-changing academic opportunities. Her story underscored the programme’s long-term impact in turning past participants into mentors.
Participants described the experience as transformative. Owolafe Esther from Ondo State said the camp taught her to start building skills now, while Mabel Danjuma from Kaduna State said she left with a clearer vision of her future.
The girls were also inducted into the 10 Million African Girls (10MAG) initiative by Junior Achievement Africa, connecting them to mentorship, collaboration and opportunities beyond the camp.
Speaking on the programme, Mr. Olabode said Cummins remains committed to expanding access to education and skills development through initiatives like Cummins Powers Women and Cummins READY.
Tobiloba Olaosun, Head of Marketing & Communications at JAN, noted that LEAD Camp has for over 20 years empowered young Nigerian girls, with alumnae including Orode Uduaghan, Senior Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on SME Development, Nkechi Eze, founder of Aso Ebi Bella, and Laure Tijani, an ALU scholarship recipient.
LEAD Camp is one of JAN’s flagship programmes designed to inspire confidence and leadership in girls through mentorship and experiential learning.
