Civic Leader Ebenezar Wikina Named 2026 Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellow
Founder of Policy Shapers, Ebenezar Wikina, has earned global recognition as a 2026 Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellow, highlighting his innovative citizen-driven development initiatives in Rivers State.
Organised by the United Kingdom-based School of International Futures, the fellowship selected 25 fellows from 24 countries out of more than 700 applicants. Wikina, a Rivers State native, was one of only two global fellows chosen under its Democracy & Sustainable Development Foresight Transformation Mission. The programme recognises emerging foresight leaders who use futures thinking to drive positive, community-centred change.
Wikina, a policy analyst and civic-tech entrepreneur, founded Policy Shapers to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and tools to engage meaningfully in public policy. His fellowship project, Rivers 2050 Vision, seeks to co-create a 25-year development blueprint for the state, ensuring citizens play an active role in shaping their future.
Speaking on his selection, Wikina said,
“The last time Rivers State had a development plan was 50 years ago, in 1975. Given our recent political and public leadership challenges, this project puts power back in the hands of citizens to fight for the state they believe they deserve.”
He added that the fellowship offers him the chance to bring African perspectives into global foresight conversations and collaborate with other leaders shaping long-term development strategies.
Wikina’s recognition adds to a decade-long list of accolades, including the 2015 Rivers Business and People Award, 2017 Global Investigative Journalism Conference Fellowship, 2020 Mandela Washington Fellowship, 2022 Royal African Youth Leadership Award, and the 2024 Skoll Fellowship, among others.
