As WONDIVA Global Community marks a decade of building community, developing people and helping women discover purpose and influence, the organisation has opened applications for the third cohort of its WONDIVA Leadership Institute, a free leadership development programme for men and women seeking to grow into more capable and purposeful leaders.
The programme reflects an important dimension of WONDIVA’s next chapter: moving beyond creating spaces for personal growth to deliberately equipping people with the skills, relationships and practical exposure required to lead and build.
At the heart of the Institute is a simple proposition: leadership is more than position, ambition or a title. It requires the development of the person who carries the responsibility.
The programme is therefore built around four dimensions of development: character, competence, capacity and craftsmanship—the belief that effective leadership requires not only knowing what to do, but becoming capable of carrying responsibility and executing it with excellence.
Speaking about the vision behind the Institute, Nkechi Emmanuel-Layode (SAGENEL), Founder of WONDIVA Global Community, said:
“We believe leadership is not simply about having a position or being given a title. It is about becoming the kind of person who can carry responsibility, solve problems, influence people and create value. We want to help people develop both the capacity and the character to lead, while also giving them access to opportunities and relationships that can help them turn their vision into reality.”
The third cohort will explore areas including personal leadership and purpose, critical thinking and problem-solving, governance, entrepreneurship, communication and influence, project execution, innovation, technology and artificial intelligence, and the future of leadership.
But the Institute’s proposition extends beyond the classroom.
Participants will have access to internship placement opportunities with top-tier brands and individuals, purpose discovery, people capital to support their vision, certification and a global community of like-minded people with whom they can build relationships and potential collaborations.
This emphasis on access is significant.
For many emerging leaders, the challenge is not simply a lack of knowledge. It is the absence of exposure, relationships, practical opportunities and people who can open doors or help them navigate unfamiliar territory.
WONDIVA describes this as “people capital”, the relationships and networks that can become critical to turning an idea, ambition or vision into something tangible.
The Institute is open to both men and women, and is designed for students, interns, young graduates, professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, teachers and others who believe they have something meaningful to build but need greater clarity, capacity and opportunity to take the next step.
The programme is particularly suited to people who want to change their communities, fulfil their purpose, build a legacy or develop a brand, organisation or initiative with wider relevance.
Making the third cohort 100 per cent free to join is also central to the programme’s proposition. WONDIVA is seeking to make structured leadership development and access to its network available without the financial barrier that can prevent promising individuals from participating.
The programme’s focus on practical exposure is equally deliberate. Through internship opportunities and connections with established professionals and organisations, participants can begin to test their abilities in real-world environments rather than keeping leadership development within the boundaries of a classroom.
For WONDIVA, this is part of a broader understanding of how leaders are formed: through character, knowledge, responsibility, experience and relationships.
The Leadership Institute comes at a significant moment for the organisation. In 2026, WONDIVA is celebrating ten years since its beginnings in 2016 as a WhatsApp community of fewer than 20 women.
A decade later, the community reports more than 3,500 members, 50+ volunteers and 10+ expressions, with its work extending across personal development, leadership, relationships, business, career and skills development.
The opening of a leadership institute to both men and women represents another evolution of that journey.
It signals an interest not only in helping individuals understand their potential, but in preparing them to carry responsibility, create solutions and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
The third cohort is scheduled to begin in the first week of September 2026.
Interested participants can register through the programme’s registration platform or contact WONDIVA for enquiries, partnerships and support.
As WONDIVA enters its second decade, the Leadership Institute raises a question that goes beyond the programme itself:
What happens when people with purpose are given the character, competence, capacity, craftsmanship and connections to build?
For WONDIVA, the answer may be found in the leaders emerging from its next cohort.
Registration: Register for WONDIVA Leadership Institute Cohort 3
For enquiries, partnerships or support:
WhatsApp: +234 808 777 6755
