She’s SEEN Initiative Hosts Fifth SEEN Summit, Brings Girls Together to Explore Leadership and Personal Growth

She’s SEEN Initiative has hosted the fifth edition of its annual SEEN Summit, bringing together 138 secondary school girls in Nyanya, Abuja, for a day of conversations and activities focused on confidence, self-discovery, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Held on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, at City Royal Academy, the summit was organised under the theme “SHE LEADS NOW!” and supported by TechHer, Reevepay, Ataejit Initiative and other partners and donors. The event also brought together 8 teachers, 12 speakers, 15 volunteers and 12 external guests.

The summit provided participants with opportunities to reflect on their identities, understand their rights, recognise their strengths and explore how their interests could shape their future choices. Through panel discussions, presentations, interactive activities and nine breakout sessions, the girls engaged with topics ranging from overcoming insecurities and exploring entrepreneurship to discovering personal interests and unconventional career paths.

The programme was designed to encourage girls to see themselves as active participants in shaping their futures. Games and group activities also created opportunities for interaction, helping participants connect with one another while engaging with the day’s discussions.

One notable feature of the fifth edition was the participation of five returning student ambassadors, who served as event and panel co-hosts. Their involvement provided an opportunity for girls who had previously engaged with the initiative to take on greater responsibility and contribute to the programme’s delivery.

The event was hosted by Alexanderia Eke, with speakers, teachers and volunteers supporting the sessions and activities.

Speaking about the significance of the summit, Mercy Ajeh, Executive Director of She’s SEEN Initiative, said the organisation remains committed to creating opportunities for girls to discover their potential, use their voices and take an active role in shaping their futures.

“At She’s SEEN Initiative, we believe that every girl deserves the opportunity to discover her potential, use her voice, and take an active role in shaping her future regardless of her personality type. SEEN Summit 2026 was another opportunity to create that space, bringing girls together to learn, ask questions, build connections, and explore their untapped abilities and what leadership means to them. Despite the challenges we encountered in our participation plans, our commitment to reaching girls, particularly those in underserved communities, remains unwavering,” Ajeh said.

The organisation faced a challenge in the days leading up to the summit when a government school strike disrupted plans to bring approximately 50 girls from government secondary schools. With the strike beginning just four days before the event, the organising team adjusted its plans by asking already engaged schools to increase their numbers and inviting additional schools to participate.

The summit ultimately welcomed 138 girls against an initial target of 150. The experience highlighted the importance of flexible planning when organising programmes that depend on school participation, particularly when seeking to reach girls in underserved communities.

For She’s SEEN Initiative, the summit is part of a broader effort to provide girls with continued opportunities for personal development. The organisation plans to build on the event through follow-up engagement with participating schools and its SHE-volution Bootcamp.

The bootcamp is designed to provide more sustained learning opportunities focused on self-awareness, communication, confidence, leadership and practical skills for navigating adolescence and preparing for the future. The organisation also intends to strengthen its relationships with schools, teachers and student ambassadors to support continued engagement beyond the annual summit.

Through the SEEN Summit and its wider programmes, She’s SEEN Initiative aims to expand opportunities for girls to learn, develop their abilities and participate more actively in their schools and communities.