Centre LSD launches digital course to train 10,000 men in fight against GBV

The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD) has launched an online course on male feminism aimed at preventing gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria and across Africa.

The initiative, tagged the ‘Male feminists network (MFN)’, seeks to build a society where men and women live free from violence, discrimination, and inequality.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the public unveiling of the MFN digital learning platform, Otive Igbuzor, founding executive director of Centre LSD, described the project as a “bold and transformative” effort to challenge patriarchal norms and mobilise men as allies in the fight against GBV.

He said the mission of the network is to train, mentor, and mobilise male leaders and grassroots influencers to champion feminist values, challenge harmful stereotypes, and advance gender justice across Nigeria.

“The fight against gender-based violence is not a women’s fight; it is a human fight,” Igbuzor said.

“It is about creating a Nigeria where everyone—man, woman, or child—can live free from fear and discrimination. Let history record that in our generation, Nigerian men chose the path of equality—and in doing so, we transformed our nation for good.”

He said the centre’s goal is to train at least 1,000 male leaders across the country’s six geopolitical zones and build a network of 10,000 certified male feminists in the coming years.

“Men and women across Nigeria—and indeed Africa—can now register, learn, interact, and get certified as male feminists from anywhere,” he said.

Igbuzor described GBV as “one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Nigeria”.

He noted that reports show that over 35 percent of Nigerian women have experienced physical violence, while many more face emotional, sexual, or economic abuse.

“We cannot end GBV by focusing on women alone. Men must be part of the solution—not as spectators, but as active champions of justice, equality, and nonviolence,” he added.

He added that the MFN digital course is designed to “transform mindsets, equip men with feminist knowledge, and mobilise them for sustained advocacy and community action”.

He called on governments at all levels to integrate male engagement into national and state-level GBV prevention frameworks.

He also urged donors, the private sector, and civil society to support the initiative, stressing that the MFN “demonstrates that transformation is possible when knowledge meets purpose, and conviction meets courage”.

“We are demonstrating that men can be partners—not perpetrators—in building a just society,” he said.

“We are proving that technology can be a tool for liberation, not oppression, and that education can dismantle the very structures that perpetuate violence and discrimination.

“Let this launch ignite a new wave of enlightenment across homes, institutions, and communities.

“Let every man who logs on to mfn.centrelsd.org find not just information, but inspiration to act, to lead, and to champion equality.

“Together, we can end the cycle of gender-based violence. Together, we can nurture a culture where masculinity means empathy, strength means respect, and leadership means service.”

Margaret Fagboyo, director of development at Centre LSD, said women and women’s organisations had for too long driven efforts to prevent GBV on their own.

She said sustainable progress would only be achieved when men are “not passive observers but active allies”.

“Today’s event marks a remarkable step in our commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable society where men and women stand side by side in the pursuit of gender justice and prevention of violence in all its forms,” Fagboyo said.