MICHAEL AKINOLA
Nigerian civil society leader and community development expert, Chief Aare Oluwasegun Oyedijo, has been honoured with the prestigious United Nations Ambassador of National Volunteerism Policy and System Leadership Award.
The award is in recognition of his outstanding contributions to civil society development, policy advocacy, and sustainable community engagement across Nigeria.
Oyedijo received the award at Nigeria’s maiden National Volunteer Conference, a landmark event organised to commemorate the United Nations International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development 2026.
The conference, held in Abuja, attracted top government officials, policymakers, international development partners, civil society organisations (CSOs), and volunteer practitioners from across the 36 states. The event focused on how volunteerism can be better structured to accelerate Nigeria’s development goals.
According to organisers, the award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in building systems that make volunteerism more effective, coordinated, and impactful beyond one-off charitable acts.
A Call for Stronger Volunteerism Framework
The recognition comes at a time when stakeholders are calling for stronger institutional frameworks to coordinate volunteer activities in Nigeria. Experts at the conference noted the need to build public participation and improve collaboration between government agencies and civil society groups.
Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, stakeholders emphasised that a well-coordinated national volunteerism system would help Nigeria harness its youthful population for community development, education support, and social inclusion programmes.
Oyedijo’s work over the years has focused on strengthening civil society organisations, improving institutional capacity, and promoting strategic partnerships among public institutions, development organisations, and community-based groups.
As the National Coordinator of the Support for Civil Society Organisations Initiative (S4CSOI) and Country Director of Saffron Social Development Global Foundation, Oyedijo has led several initiatives addressing community development, child safeguarding, youth empowerment, education, and social inclusion.
Beyond Goodwill: Making Volunteerism Sustainable*
His advocacy centres on redefining volunteerism beyond individual acts of goodwill. He has consistently emphasised the need for deliberate policies and strong institutions that can sustain citizen participation and channel volunteer efforts towards measurable development outcomes.
Analysts say a national volunteerism framework, supported by effective coordination and accountability mechanisms, could help organisations mobilise volunteers more systematically and align their contributions with development priorities at national, state, and community levels.
The conference provided a veritable platform for stakeholders to examine practical ways of integrating volunteerism into national development planning and strengthening partnerships across government, civil society, and the private sector.
For Oyedijo, the award not only recognises his personal engagement in civil society development but also highlights the broader national challenge of building a sustainable volunteerism system in Nigeria.
His area of work spans institutional capacity development, community engagement, and public policy advocacy – areas that directly intersect with efforts to strengthen the contribution of CSOs to Nigeria’s social and economic development.
Oyedijo is a certified project management professional, certified social worker, and public policy advocate. His development work includes promoting institutional accountability, protecting vulnerable populations, and expanding opportunities for young people and underserved communities.
The award has also renewed national conversation on the critical role of volunteers in addressing social challenges, particularly where coordinated community action can complement the work of public institutions and development partners.
About Oluwasegun Oyedijo
Chief Aare Oluwasegun Oyedijo is a community development expert and civil society leader. He serves as National Coordinator of the Support for Civil Society Organisations Initiative and Country Director of Saffron Social Development Global Foundation.
His areas of engagement include civil society system strengthening, child safeguarding, youth empowerment, education, social inclusion, and sustainable community development.