International Alert Graduate Internship Programme 2026

About

International Alert is an international peacebuilding organisation that works with communities, civil society organisations, governments and other stakeholders in conflict-affected settings. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in London, the organisation works to prevent violent conflict, strengthen social cohesion, promote inclusive governance, build resilience and support locally led peacebuilding initiatives.

In Nigeria, International Alert collaborates with communities, government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, young people, women and media practitioners to address conflict drivers and promote peaceful, inclusive societies.

Job Description

International Alert is offering a six-month Graduate Internship Programme designed to give young Nigerian professionals practical experience within an international peacebuilding and development organisation.

The 2026 programme is particularly seeking qualified applicants from the Northeast, Northwest and North-Central regions of Nigeria, helping to expand access to professional development opportunities and strengthen locally grounded expertise.

Successful interns will be placed in one of two streams:

1. Programmes Internship

Programme Interns will work alongside programme teams and contribute to the implementation, monitoring and documentation of peacebuilding and development projects.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assist with preparing and delivering trainings, workshops, community dialogues, meetings and consultations.
• Support event and activity logistics, including agendas, participant lists, materials and stakeholder coordination.
• Participate in field activities and support inclusive engagement with communities and stakeholders.
• Assist with monitoring activities, data collection, attendance tracking, feedback forms and assessments.
• Prepare or contribute to activity reports, meeting minutes, field reports and programme updates.
• Document project outcomes, lessons learned, good practices and stories of change.
• Maintain organised programme records and documentation.
• Support engagement and follow-up with communities, CSOs, government institutions and other project stakeholders.

2. Communications and Advocacy Internship

Communications and Advocacy Interns will support the organisation’s communications, media engagement and advocacy activities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Assist in creating content for websites, social media and other communication channels.
• Develop or support posts, captions, programme updates, human-interest stories and related materials.
• Identify and document programme achievements, case studies and stories of change.
• Assist with media relations, journalist coordination and maintenance of media contact databases.
• Monitor media coverage and compile relevant media mentions.
• Support social media planning, photography, activity documentation and basic engagement tracking.
• Conduct research for advocacy materials, briefing notes, presentations and talking points.
• Monitor relevant policy developments and public discourse.
• Participate in selected programme activities to identify and document communications opportunities.
• Work with Programme and Communications teams to effectively communicate project evidence, achievements and impact.

Learning and Professional Development

The internship is structured to provide practical exposure and career development through:

• Mentorship and guidance from experienced International Alert professionals.
• Participation in relevant meetings, learning sessions and field activities.
• Exposure to programme management and development processes.
• Development of research, writing, reporting and analytical skills.
• Practical experience in communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Exposure to conflict-sensitive programming and peacebuilding approaches.
• Opportunities to build professional networks within the development and peacebuilding sector.

Each intern will have a designated supervisor who will provide guidance and periodic feedback throughout the six-month programme.

Expected Outputs

Depending on the assigned internship stream, interns may contribute to:

• Activity and meeting reports.
• Research and briefing documents.
• Programme monitoring and documentation.
• Communications and advocacy materials.
• Social media content.
• Media monitoring reports.
• Media and stakeholder databases.
• Case studies and stories of change.
• Event and field activity documentation.
• Programme and communications presentations.
• Other relevant outputs assigned by the organisation.

Qualifications & Requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a Nigerian citizen.
• Must have completed the mandatory one-year NYSC programme and be able to provide evidence of completion.
• Must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised higher institution.
• Must be from, or have strong ties to, the Northeast, Northwest or North-Central regions of Nigeria.
• Must demonstrate an interest in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, development, communications, advocacy or related fields.
• Must possess good written and verbal communication skills.
• Must have basic proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Must demonstrate the ability and willingness to learn.
• Must be able to work collaboratively with others.
• Must be available for the entire six-month internship period.
• Must demonstrate professionalism, integrity and alignment with International Alert’s values.

Desired Skills and Competencies

Candidates should ideally demonstrate:

• Strong communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Good writing and editing skills.
• Research and analytical capabilities.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Good organisational and time-management skills.
• Creativity, initiative and problem-solving ability.
• Teamwork and collaboration.
• Openness to feedback and continuous learning.
• Ability to operate effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments.
• Professional integrity and professionalism.
• Interest in peacebuilding and development.
• Understanding of or sensitivity to conflict-affected and fragile environments.

Additional advantage for Communications and Advocacy applicants: Knowledge of social media management, basic graphic design, photography, videography or digital storytelling.

Duration and Location

Duration: 6 months
Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Interns may also be required to undertake field travel, subject to International Alert’s operational requirements and security procedures.

Safeguarding and Professional Conduct

Successful interns will be expected to comply with International Alert’s policies and standards covering:

• Safeguarding.
• Code of Conduct.
• Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA).
• Anti-fraud and anti-corruption.
• Data protection and confidentiality.
• Security and safety.
• Conflict sensitivity and Do-No-Harm principles.

Interns will not be permitted to independently represent International Alert externally, issue media statements, publish organisational information or post content on behalf of the organisation without proper authorisation.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should prepare:

1. A cover letter explaining their suitability for the internship.
2. An updated CV.

Send both documents to nigeria@international-alert.org using the appropriate internship stream as the email subject.

Applicants are encouraged to ensure that their application clearly indicates whether they are applying for the Programmes Internship or Communications and Advocacy Internship.