About Me

Ismailbello.africa

Ismail Bello.

Ismail Bello is a Nigerian award winning Business Development Consultant, Youth Advocate, Digital Technology and Innovation Expert. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Al – Qalam University, Katsina and a Master’s degree in Information Technology from National Open University of Nigeria. He has more than six years of expertise in civic leadership, youth development, and community development in the nonprofit sector. He specializes in developing intervention training programs and projects that encourage civic engagement, political leadership, and good governance. He has five years of experience as a young mobilizer and strategist for youth development working on programs supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through Yiaga Africa, the US Embassy in Nigeria, and the European Union (EU). He has created innovative engagement models and development strategies for promoting access to good governance and political leadership among young people in Nigeria. He worked on a UNDP sponsored project at Yiaga Africa that resulted in a policy framework that was submitted to Nigeria’s lawmakers and led to a lowering in the voting age to allow young people to run for office at the local, state, and federal levels of government in Nigeria.

The United States Embassy in Nigeria shortlisted his contribution in 2021 for a nomination at the prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) on Human Rights and Civic Engagements for Youths in Washington, D.C., United States. He was also appointed as a youth advisor in the EU Delegation to Nigeria’s Youth Sounding Board, where he worked with partners in the project’s implementation to help develop and implement youth-focused strategies that had given young leaders the tools they needed to spark transformative leadership change for youth political participation in neighborhoods and cities all across Nigeria.
Prior to this, Ismail created the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Hub (YES – Hub) Initiative, through which he works as a business coach for numerous organizations, including the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), and collaborates and partners with numerous organizations to give young entrepreneurs adequate training in business development skills and crucial entrepreneurial leadership training through a boot camp program, as well as an opportunity to pitch their ideas.

In May 2016 – May 2018 My organization Youth Entrepreneurship Support Hub (Yes-Hub) under my leadership undergo a project with a leading non-profit organization in Nigeria that is building young people’s capacity and strengthening democracy, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (Yiaga) Africa Supported by NDI, USAID, and UKaid. The project tagged #NotTooYoungToRun Bill Campaign designed to engage lawmakers in Nigeria in seeking for the amendment of the constitution to reduce the age qualification for running various elective positions in the Nigeria aimed at increasing youth participation in political process. A success was recorded as both chambers of Nigeria’s National Assemblies considered and passed the bill in July-2017 with an overwhelming majority while 33 out of 36 State Assemblies adopted the bill and The President of Nigeria assented to the bill in May 2018. This earned my organization a status, in the list of young people that advocates for rights and freedom.

Upon the inception of my engagement with Yiaga Africa in May 2016, I was invited along with 35 other individuals to an organizing training in Abuja held in February 2017. The content enabled me to achieve the success of the #NotTooYoungToRun at the state level. I was able come back to come up with an action plan to solicit allies and influence targets of the Not Too Young to Run in Katsina state and helped us to achieved success at State Level.
I focused on my vision and was able to pull together a very strong team of dedicated and committed youth. As a leader, I ensured everyone was carried along with every action or decision taken. I formed a team which comprised of people with disabilities and unemployed youths. I carried every youth along irrespective of tribe and gender. My team shows high spirit of lobbying in advocating for right on the constitution amendment campaign for youth inclusion in Nigerian politics, which worked in Katsina state House of Assembly and ushered over 10,000 youth across the state advocating for youth rights to inclusion. We held several rallies one of which was the march to Katsina state House of Assembly. The speaker, while addressing the youths, assured us of his support.