Doing Good Work in Africa (DOWA), a U.S.-based nonprofit that places students and young professionals in internships across Africa, received a 2026 National Diaspora Merit Award from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) last month, an honour that arrives as DOWA marks its fifth year of operation.
NiDCOM presented the award during the 2026 National Diaspora Day celebration in Abuja, where government officials, diaspora leaders, and development partners gathered. The commission recognized 32 Nigerians in the diaspora, along with organisations and individuals, for contributions to national development and for positively representing Nigeria on the global stage.
Founded in 2020 by Ola Erogbogbo-Oyeniyi and Emiola Abass, DOWA provides free internship placement, mentorship, and professional development opportunities, connecting emerging talent with African businesses, nonprofits, startups, and innovation ecosystems.
According to the organisation, DOWA has attracted more than 3,000 applicants since launch, placed over 100 interns, and worked with more than 20 partner organisations across 11 African countries. It says participants have logged more than 500,000 minutes of collaboration, and the organisation has disbursed more than $10,000 in internship grants and awarded more than ₦3.4 million through its Innovation Challenges.
The organisation says its Summer 2026 program received more than 700 applications, with around 60 interns ultimately selected to work across sectors including technology, healthcare, education, finance, and entrepreneurship — which DOWA describes as its highest demand to date.
“This recognition belongs to every intern who took a chance on an organisation across the continent, every partner who opened their doors to emerging talent, and every person who believed that access could become a bridge between global talent and African innovation,” said Erogbogbo-Oyeniyi. “Five years ago, we started with a simple idea: create access. Today, we are seeing what can happen when that access becomes sustained engagement, collaboration and impact.”
DOWA describes its approach as challenging the assumption that diaspora engagement requires permanent relocation, instead building pathways for young people to contribute through internships, mentorship, and ongoing professional relationships across the continent.
“The internship is the entry point, not the destination,” said Abass. “Our goal is to develop a generation of innovators, investors and advocates who remain connected to Africa throughout their careers.”
The organisation frames its work as part of a broader shift from brain drain to brain gain, and says it aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals including Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and Partnerships for the Goals.
Looking ahead, DOWA says it plans to deepen partnerships with universities, African businesses, diaspora organisations, and development institutions as it enters its second five years.
