By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage– The Federal Government and the United Kingdom (UK), have intensified collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s National Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system as part of efforts to drive the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
The partnership places planning, monitoring and evaluation at the centre of governance and national development, with officials stressing that M&E has evolved beyond a routine reporting exercise to become a strategic governance tool.
The Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, stated this at the closing ceremony of the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and Results-Based Management Capacity Development Workshop held in Abuja.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, the minister said achieving meaningful improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, education, housing, transportation and employment requires continuous monitoring of projects, timely reporting and objective assessment of performance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
She reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda through a governance system anchored on accountability, measurable outcomes and citizen-focused service delivery.
Uzoka-Anite urged participants to recommit themselves to building institutions that not only plan and report activities, but also measure impact and ensure development reaches communities across the country.
Speaking earlier, the Economic Counsellor at the British High Commission in Abuja, Mahesh Mishra, commended the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for supporting the workshop.
He encouraged participants to apply the knowledge and tools acquired during the programme to improve productivity and service delivery within their respective MDAs.
Mishra explained that the workshop, supported by the UK Government through the Nigeria Public Finance Facility (NPFF), brought together planning officers from various MDAs to strengthen institutional capacity and public sector reforms.
He noted that Nigeria and the UK share a strong economic relationship and expressed optimism that the partnership would create more opportunities for economic growth and wealth creation for citizens of both countries.
Also speaking, the National Team Lead of the Nigeria Public Finance Facility, Chinedum Nwoko, said the intervention followed engagements between the British High Commission and the management of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, during which gaps in institutional capacity were identified.
According to him, the initiative represents a shift from the traditional donor-recipient model to a partnership-driven approach aimed at strengthening domestic institutions and supporting reform priorities.
In her closing remarks, the Deputy Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Margaret Dibigbo, appreciated the ministry’s management, the British High Commission, facilitators and participants for their contributions toward institutionalising effective monitoring and evaluation practices across MDAs.
