Lilian Mbaegbu

Lilian Mbaegbu manages the Governance and Civic Engagement programme at the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation. Her work contributes to strengthening democratic governance and civic accountability through policy engagement, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and innovative approaches that expand meaningful citizen participation in governance, especially among women and youth in Nigeria and across West Africa.

Throughout her career, Lilian has leveraged technology as a strategic tool for civic impact, leading and supporting the development of four civic technologies, including AI-powered tools, across Nigeria's foremost think tanks and non-profit organisations to advance digital governance and public accountability.

With over six years managing initiatives funded by the MacArthur Foundation, FCDO, and USAID, she has partnered with government agencies and civil society networks to deepen transparency, democratic accountability, youth inclusion, and digital access.

Lilian holds a B.Sc. in Sociology from the University of Lagos and a Master's degree from the Nigerian Defence Academy. She is an Afrobarometer Data Analysis Fellow and a Research Fellow at the Centre for AI and Digital Policy.