Fighting for good governance in Nigeria

Building trust between Nigerians and the government amid widespread rumors of corruption and mismanagement isn’t easy. Devex spoke with Hadiza Elayo, deputy national program manager at the State Partnership for Accountability, Responsiveness and Capability, about the program’s strides in Nigeria’s sprawling 36 states. The ability to be reactive, Elayo said, has served SPARC well, especially when the assessment of needs on the ground doesn’t necessarily line up with reality. Team members must be prepared to shift priorities on a dime, and be prepared when new issues emerge. Entering its final year, the program and its advocates are coming up with innovative ways to make sure SPARC’s legacy remains in place long after the the program wraps up. “We believe in incremental change,” Elayo said. “Part of our legacy has been providing CSOs with the knowledge they need to demand better services and government services.” Changing government attitudes toward budget when “usually, budgets are used as an instrument of power and patronage,” she said, also means governments will better understand how to measure the impact of their service, and then collect development accolades to use in the next election. Read more international development news online, and subscribe to The Development Newswire to receive the latest from the world’s leading donors and decision-makers — emailed to you FREE every business day.