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Welcome to Friends of Nigeria

    A gathering point for the Friends of Nigeria community

     
     
     

     

    Friends of Nigeria 2026 Annual Meeting

    This year’s Friends of Nigeria annual meeting will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, using the Zoom platform. The morning session will begin at 11:00 AM Eastern Time and the afternoon session at 1:30 PM Eastern Time.  Use the following link to join the meeting:

    FON 2026 Annual Meeting
    Aug 22, 2026, login starting at 10:45 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85432104868

    If you don't have the Zoom app on your computer simply click the link shown above, cancel any prompts to open or download the software, and select the small text link at the bottom that says "Join from your browser."

    Starting with the general membership meeting, you will hear brief reports from the president, treasurer, membership chair and the chair of the Small Grants Committee. We will also hear from Joe Shaffner, NPCA vice president, on the current state of the Peace Corps. 

    Following the general membership meeting we will hear from two speakers, Phil Peek (Nigeria 11),  Professor Emeritus at Drew University, who will discuss the unique Lower Niger Bronzes, many of which pre-date the famous bronzes of Ife, Benin, and 9th century Igbo-Ukwu;  and Philip Effiong, Jr., Professor of Theatre Studies and Integrative Humanities at Michigan State University, whose memoir My Biafran Scar: A War & Postwar Narrative, recounts his experiences during the Biafra-Nigeria war and its aftermath. To conclude the annual meeting, board member Mimi Budd will again host the  “cocktail hour” when you can catch up with old friends and share recollections of Nigeria.

    Be sure to add August 22 to your calendar.

     

    Our History

    Friends of Nigeria, founded in 1996, is the alumni association of Peace Corps Volunteers and staff who served in Nigeria, plus volunteers from other organizations such as VSO and CUSO, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and others with an interest in Nigeria. The Friends of Nigeria community has about 1600 living members of whom over 600 support the organization with dues and donations. 

    All donations and more than 80% of annual dues are distributed in grants to grass roots organizations in Nigeria.  Since 2005, Friends of Nigeria has awarded grants totaling over $300,000 to Nigerian non-profit organizations, principally in the health and education sectors.

    Friends of Nigeria publishes a quarterly newsletter and maintains two websites – friendsofnigeria.org, which you are reading now, and a wiki (wikiFON.org) with information on individual training groups. We host an annual meeting in conjunction with the annual conference of the National Peace Corps Association, and host virtual Zoom meetings, such as reunions of Nigeria Peace Corps Volunteers who trained together -- check out Training Group News under the Connections tab to read about these reunions.  In addition, we maintain a database of RPCVs as well as others who are members, and publish a biennial membership directory.

    Friends of Nigeria is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and an affiliate of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA).

     

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    NPCA is the nonprofit alumni network at the center of a community of over 220,000 people who share the Peace Corps experience. NPCA champions lifelong commitment to Peace Corps ideals by connecting, engaging and promoting its members and affiliate groups as they continue to make a difference in communities in the U.S. and abroad. NPCA is also dedicated to advocating for, contributing to, and supporting the betterment of the Peace Corps. Visit NPCA to learn more.