The Story of Paradigm Initiative

The timeless wisdom of Chinese Philosopher Lao Tzu echoes the resounding truth: ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.’ This insight, which is a beacon of determination, serves as a perpetual reminder that monumental achievements spring forth from humble beginnings, rooted in the simplicity of that initial stride.

The story of Paradigm Initiative (PIN) mirrors this truth, showcasing an organisation with a modest origin. Our organisation’s genesis can be traced to the vibrant streets of Ajegunle, nestled in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria. Born from a profound yearning to empower under-served youth, we have impacted the lives of more than 150,000 young individuals, leaving an indelible mark of empowerment and opportunity.

How it all started

This is how it all started.? ‘Gbenga Sesan, our Executive Director would dedicate his weekdays to his role at Junior Achievement of Nigeria (JAN) while weekends found him responding to invitations from schools and communities offering Information Communication Technology (ICT) training to young minds. Gradually, his focus shifted towards communities yearning for such opportunities. Around this time, an invitation arrived from Ajegunle, extended by a friend, which he accepted without hesitation. What followed was a connection with spirited young individuals thirsting for knowledge. In that moment, ‘Gbenga recognised the need to expand these efforts on a more intensive scale.

After six years at JAN, ‘Gbenga handed in his resignation letter, and embarked on a journey to help transform the lives of youth and in 2007, PIN started operations from a cybercafé known as Stadnet and never looked back. We rented the facility and called in a few volunteers, among them Nnenna Paul-Ugochukwu, who is currently the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). By running with the project, ‘Gbenga fulfilled his promise to ensure no young person is denied the opportunity to use a computer.??

Expansion across Africa

Today, Paradigm Initiative is a major player in the expansion of digital rights and inclusion space on the continent. We have grown into a non-profit organisation that builds ICT-enabled support systems and advocates for digital rights in order to improve the livelihoods of under-served young Africans. We have worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007 and across Africa since 2017. Today, we have a presence in six African countries; Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe and partners in more than 27 countries.

Advancing Internet freedom and proposing policy solutions

PIN has, for more than eight years, played an instrumental role in advancing Internet freedom, proposing policy solutions and monitoring legal and policy frameworks around ICTs on the continent to ensure citizen rights. Our competencies in ICT capacity building, research and reports have strengthened this contribution.?

Training on ICTs and digital security

We have also trained a considerable number of non-profit organisations and educational institutions on the usage of ICTs for digital security. At the same time, our annual digital rights and inclusion reports- Londa, have been converted into short films to speak more to a wider and younger audience. Additionally, our digital rights advocacy program is focused on developing public policy for Internet freedom in Africa.?

Online platforms

Paradigm Initiative has built online platforms that educate and serve as safe spaces for the reporting of digital rights violations. These mediums, in the form of reports, short films, and educational online platforms, include Ayeta, Londa and Ripoti. We are also the convener of the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF), a pan-African bilingual Forum that has been held annually since 2013.?