The World Bank and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning have engaged the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to support governance reforms in basic education and primary healthcare. The collaboration aims to improve service delivery across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Dr. Assad Hassan, National Coordinator of the HOPE-GOV Program, the NGF is a crucial platform for inter-governmental coordination, ensuring the successful implementation of the program. He led a delegation to brief the NGF secretariat and seek strategic support for the initiative. The program focuses on maximizing federal and state funds at the facility level in health and basic education, while promoting transparency and monitoring of inter-governmental transfers and expenditure.
The initiative also seeks to enhance the execution of coordinated annual service delivery plans, improve accountability in health and basic education spending, and address human resource challenges in the two sectors. Dr. Hassan emphasized the importance of employment, retention, and equitable posting of workers in the health and education sectors.
The World Bank Task Team Lead, Mr. Ikechukwu Nweje, highlighted the program’s potential to build the capacity of civil servants across states, driving the reform process in the two sectors. The Director-General of the NGF, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, expressed optimism that the program would mark a significant milestone in state governments’ reform journey, shifting the focus from data publication to using data to improve outcomes.
The NGF looks forward to working closely with the Federal Government, states, the World Bank, and stakeholders to ensure the program delivers on its promise. The collaboration is expected to yield tangible improvements in schools and primary healthcare facilities, ultimately benefiting the Nigerian people. With the program’s implementation underway, the coming months will be crucial in determining its success, which will depend on early commitment and readiness at the state level.
