Lions International intensified its drive for sustainable membership growth through the Mission 1.5 Africa Summit held from June 19 to 21, 2026, at the Skylight Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, followed by a membership development workshop in Lagos, Nigeria, on October 10, 2026. Both engagements focused on strengthening clubs, expanding membership, developing leaders and enhancing the overall experience of Lions.
The Addis Ababa summit, themed “Nurturing a Culture of Growth” brought together more than 120 Lions leaders and delegates from across Africa. District Governors-Elect and Global Action Team (GAT) leaders examined strategies for achieving the objectives of Mission 1.5, with particular emphasis on new club development, membership recruitment and retention, mentorship, leadership development and effective communication.
The programme was led by Constitutional Area VIII (CA8) GAT Constitutional Area Leader, PID Hastings Chiti, alongside First Vice International President Lion Manoj Shah and International Director Rajinder Singh “Pape” Sembi, with the support of other Area Leaders.
Representing District 404B5 Nigeria were District Governor Lion Phina Origho PMJF NLCF, District GMT Coordinator Lion Franklin Udah MJF NLCF, and District GET Coordinator Lion Adedeji Olukokun PMJF NLCF. Their participation provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with Lions leaders from other African countries and strengthen strategies for implementing Mission 1.5 within their district.
Throughout the three-day summit, participants explored ways to make service projects more effective tools for attracting prospective members, communicate the impact of Lions more compellingly and establish stronger systems for welcoming, mentoring and retaining members. Collaborative sessions also enabled district teams to assess their Mission 1.5 action plans, share successful practices and identify practical steps for accelerating growth during the 2026–2027 Lions service year.
A notable moment for the Nigerian delegation came when Lion Adedeji Olukokun PMJF, NLCF presented a Mission 1.5 success story from MD404 Nigeria. His presentation highlighted the establishment of 14 new Lions clubs during the 2024–2025 service year under the leadership of PDG Tolulope Ayodeji Senbanjo PMJF NLCF. The achievement contributed to the expansion of Lions service in Nigeria and formed part of the developments that culminated in the division of the former District 404B2 into Districts 404B5 and 404B6, effective July 1, 2026.
The experience demonstrated how focused leadership, coordinated membership development and a shared vision could translate into organizational growth and create opportunities to serve more communities.
Addressing participants, First Vice International President Lion Manoj Shah emphasized that Mission 1.5 extended beyond the numerical target of recruiting members. He underscored the importance of creating an environment in which Lions felt supported, developed meaningful relationships and remained committed to service.
“We have the potential to accomplish extraordinary things when we coordinate our efforts, share ideas and work together toward common goals. None of us can do it alone, but together there is almost no limit to the impact we can create,” he said.
His message reinforced the need for effective member orientation, purposeful mentorship, meaningful service opportunities and collaboration as essential elements of long-term membership sustainability.
For District 404B5, the summit provided valuable insights into integrating membership development into service activities, improving public engagement through effective storytelling and strengthening accountability among district leaders and GAT teams. The knowledge gained was expected to support the district’s continuing efforts to build stronger clubs and expand its humanitarian reach.
LAGOS WORKSHOP REINFORCED MISSION 1.5 IMPLEMENTATION
Building on the momentum of the African summit, Lions International convened a Mission 1.5 workshop in Lagos on October 10, 2026, for Multiple District 404 Nigeria and District 418. The workshop provided a platform for reviewing membership growth progress and developing practical responses to the opportunities and challenges facing Lions clubs.
Discussions covered the formation of new clubs, recruitment within existing clubs and ways to improve member satisfaction and the overall Lions experience. Participants also examined how districts could sustain engagement, address membership-related challenges and turn strategic goals into measurable outcomes.
During the breakout sessions, participants identified opportunities, discussed obstacles to growth and proposed solutions suited to their respective districts. They also developed ideas for implementation through six-month action plans focused on membership expansion, member engagement and service impact.
The workshop was held under the leadership of PCC Gbolagade Adebisi, GAT Area Leader; Council Chairperson MCC Adekunle Adedipe; PID Hastings Chiti, CA8 GAT Constitutional Area Leader; and First Vice International President Lion Manoj Shah.
The Lagos engagement reinforced the importance of translating the lessons of international and continental training programmes into practical district-level action. It also provided an opportunity for Lions leaders to align their membership development efforts, share experiences and strengthen collaboration across the participating districts.
FROM TRAINING TO TRANSFORMATION
The two engagements underscored a shared principle: sustainable growth depends not only on attracting new members but also on creating clubs where people feel welcomed, valued, engaged and inspired to serve.
For Lions International, Mission 1.5 represented an opportunity to build a stronger and more responsive service organization by combining purposeful recruitment with effective leadership, meaningful member experiences and strategic club development.
As the lessons from Addis Ababa and Lagos are carried into district and club activities, the responsibility has shifted to implementation, i.e. strengthening existing clubs, nurturing future leaders, welcoming new members and ensuring that membership growth translates into greater humanitarian impact.
The training sessions have concluded but the work of Mission 1.5 continues, with the future of Lions growth resting on the collective commitment of leaders and members to turn shared knowledge into sustained action.
