By Gloria Ikibah
Over the past four years, the U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has enhanced the capabilities of local civil society organizations (CSOs) and business membership organizations (BMOs) in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This was achieved through the Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) initiative, which trained 215 CSOs and BMOs and supported over 1,000 organizations in driving policy reforms that address poverty, education, healthcare, corruption, governance, and gender equality.
Speaking at the SCALE closeout event, USAID Nigeria Peace, Democracy, and Governance Office Director Angela Martin reaffirmed the U.S. Government’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s progress towards a more inclusive and democratic society.
Through training, mentoring, and coaching, USAID helped its partners build sustainability, enabling them to secure over $8.4 million in grants from various donors. Launched in October 2020 and implemented by Palladium, the SCALE project achieved over 81 policy actions across federal, state, and local levels. Some key accomplishments include:
– Establishing a nationwide CSO self-regulation council, where over 400 organizations adopted regulatory frameworks tackling corruption, money laundering, and terrorist financing.
– Ensuring women, youth, and people with disabilities had a voice in civic space dialogues with the government.
– Working with security agencies, traditional, religious, and community leaders to combat trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence, and child marriage, resulting in 28 investigated trafficking cases.
– Launching four postgraduate programs on organizational development and advocacy at Nasarawa State University, Keffi.
These achievements under the SCALE activity are expected to serve as a foundation for future efforts to strengthen civil society and promote sustainable development in Nigeria.