The Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF) has trained at least 30 women drawn from different communities across Anambra State on voter education, with the goal of tackling voter apathy and other electoral challenges ahead of the August 16 senatorial by‑election and the November 8 governorship election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The three‑day “Train the Trainers on Voter Education” workshop, funded by the European Union, kicked off on Thursday in Awka. Each participant is expected to step down the training by mobilising and educating 50 other women within their respective communities and local government areas.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, NWTF Programme Officer Malliya Manu said the initiative was designed to deepen understanding of electoral processes and drive greater women’s participation in future polls.

“The aim is to equip these participants with the knowledge and tools to conduct voter education sessions at the grassroots. If rural women are properly informed, we can significantly reduce issues like invalid votes and vote buying,” Manu explained.

She noted that voter education is essential for strengthening democracy, promoting peaceful elections, and encouraging acceptance of results.

“This programme mobilises grassroots women, civil society groups, and faith‑based organisations. Each participant will step down voter education in their communities so more women can get involved in upcoming elections. It’s a multiplier effect to curb voter apathy,” she added.

According to Manu, the 30 participants were jointly selected by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC) — 20 nominated by INEC and 10 by SIDEC — all of them women with strong influence and interest in electoral matters.

One of the lead facilitators, Venezia Gregory, highlighted that the training covers how to host local voter education forums and tackle obstacles such as double registration, limited resources, transportation barriers, and a shortage of trained educators.

“Civic and voter education is critical to ensuring every eligible Nigerian understands their rights and responsibilities. It must be inclusive — targeting women, men, and persons with disabilities — and must emphasise voting procedures and the value of participatory governance,” Gregory said.

Also addressing the attendees, Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Agwu urged women to uphold integrity and resist vote buying. She revealed that out of the 193,170 newly registered voters in the state’s latest exercise, more than 150,000 were women, a development she described as encouraging.

Agwu praised the organisers and charged participants to remain committed and active in politics. The workshop drew key stakeholders, including representatives from INEC and various civil society organisations.