Dr Glory Nneka Ukwenga, a youth development advocate and Founder of Africana League, has bagged a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Conflict, Peace and Strategic Studies from Nile University of Nigeria.
A major milestone in her academic and advocacy career, Ukwenga obtained her doctorate degree on July 24, 2026 by defending her thesis “Civil-Military Relations and the Challenges of Democratic Governance in West Africa: A Comparative Study of Nigeria and Mali (2019–2026).
Her new doctorate complements a robust academic profile which includes a Master of Science in Political Science with specialisation in International Relations, with distinction, from the University of Ibadan and a Bachelor of Science in Politics and International Relations, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Lead City University, Ibadan. In addition, she has diplomas in Public Relations and French, and the DELF B1 certificate from the French Republic.
Her PhD research focuses on civil-military interactions and democratic government in West Africa and is informed by her long-standing dedication to advancing good governance, peacebuilding and youth inclusion across the continent.
Founded in 2017, Ukwenga has been at the forefront of measures to increase youth participation in politics and governance since establishing Africana League. Under her direction, the group developed the Nigeria Actizens Parliament, formerly the Nigeria House of Commons, a political reality television program aimed at educating young Nigerians on legislative procedures and encouraging civic engagement.
The program has gathered thousands of online followers and has been re-branded for the second season, which has a ₦15 million prize package to boost political engagement and community development projects.
In 2025, Ukwenga was listed as one of ShePremium’s Top 50 Emerging Visible African Women for her dedication to youth and women’s leadership.
She noted that the impetus behind the move was to bridge the gap between young Nigerians and governance and that the first season showed young people are willing to participate significantly when given the opportunity.
Apart from her advocacy activities, Ukwenga is a member of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) and the West Africa Political Science Association (WAPSA). She has published a number of academic works on political participation, women’s mobilisation, federalism, security sector governance and related subjects.
With the accomplishment of her PhD, Ukwenga is expected to further enhance her contributions to youth leadership development, democratic governance and policy research across Africa.
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