JCI Aso targets stronger systems, SDG-driven impact in 2026

By Abubakar Yunusa

The President of the Junior Chamber International, JCI Aso, Mr Peter Emmanuel Yilbiem, has said the organisation will focus on strengthening systems, standardising project execution and aligning initiatives with the Sustainable Development Goals in 2026 to maximise impact.

Yilbiem stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja, noting that the new direction marked a transition from JCI Aso’s 25th anniversary celebrations to what he described as a fresh chapter of scaled impact and institutional excellence.

He said his administration would prioritise expanding the organisation’s reach, deepening leadership development and ensuring that partnerships deliver measurable and documented outcomes.

According to him, JCI Aso is adopting a Project Excellence Framework to improve efficiency and effectiveness across all its interventions, stressing that leadership must translate into visible results.

The JCI Aso president said the organisation’s progress over the past 25 years was driven by collaboration with government institutions, the private sector, development partners and the media.

He described JCI Aso as a credible platform capable of converting collective support into scalable community impact.

Yilbiem said the organisation was entering what it calls “Chapter 26 – the ICE Era”, anchored on innovation, collaboration and excellence, with a focus on preparing young Nigerians to lead.

“Leadership does not live in documents. It lives in participation, accountability and the courage to act,” he said.

He added that JCI Aso’s strength lay in placing young people in real leadership positions where they take decisions, manage resources and are held accountable.

Yilbiem listed key interventions of the organisation to include the Save a Soul Project, Educate a Child initiative and the Baba and Yara Novelty Games, which promote health, education, unity and mental wellbeing.

He also said programmes such as the Membership Development Summit and Quality Leadership Value initiative were designed to build strong leadership pipelines across sectors.

Also speaking, the Founder of JCI Aso, Mr Gwo Shoga, said the organisation’s approach was centred on “learning by doing”, adding that every member was encouraged to contribute.

Shoga urged members to prepare adequately for meetings, understand the constitution and actively participate, noting that leadership was demonstrated through responsibility and engagement.