Sometime in January 1994, a group of scholars and activists gathered in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria, to mark the opening of the MacArthur Foundation’s Nigeria Office for Population and Reproductive Health Programs. After 30 years, the Foundation has expanded its reach and introduced several initiatives, initiatives and programs in Nigeria.
The organization hosted a commemorative luncheon on Wednesday with the theme: “30 Years of Partnership Building for Nigeria’s Development.” The program was designed to commemorate the Foundation’s 30 years of work in Nigeria and celebrate long-standing MacArthur grant recipient partners and collaborators.
“The 30th anniversary of our presence in Nigeria is a landmark moment to pause and reflect,” said Cole Shettima, Country Director of the MacArthur Foundation in Nigeria. It is a symbol of our commitment.” ”
Over the past 30 years, the MacArthur Foundation has awarded more than 800 grants totaling more than $257 million to 256 organizations and 135 individuals based in Nigeria. It also awarded $57 million in grants to more than 100 organizations outside Nigeria for Nigeria-focused activities.
“We have learned that social change is gradual and takes time,” Shettima added. “That is why today, we speak out, recognizing that there is still work to do to protect anti-corruption gains, scale solutions, and co-create sustainable strategies across differences. We celebrate our partners who continue to deepen power, accountability, and justice. We will leave no one behind.”
The MacArthur Foundation is driven by a vision of building a more just, greener, and more peaceful world.
In his remarks, John Palfrey, Chairman of the Board of the John D. MacArthur Catherine T. He said it’s about finding answers to questions.
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“MacArthur is not just a grantmaker, we are also a thought leader. We promote and encourage the field of philanthropy to evolve into a more agile and powerful ally. This study We know that funding is important, but that’s only half the story. Organizations must be able to grow to drive sustainable change,” Palfrey said in Abuja. Ta.
Nigeria’s Vice President Kassim Shettima, speaking on behalf of his Special Assistant for Political Affairs, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, said the MacArthur Foundation’s experience reflects its determination and unyielding zeal for a better society. said.
“Whether it’s advocating for girls’ education or defending people’s basic human rights, this foundation has established itself as the voice of the vulnerable. Your interventions resonate with the heartbeat of humanity.”
The Vice President added that the platform advanced by MacArthur was the catalyst for the formation of a functioning Nigeria. “Today, I extend the hand of partnership by inviting the MacArthur Foundation to work closely with us to rapidly fulfill our commitments to the nation.In areas where our interests align, Let us prove that we are united in one purpose: to serve the people of Nigeria.”
Project in Nigeria
MacArthur’s first project in Nigeria was Population and Reproductive Health (PRH), an effort to foster partnerships and change the landscape of mothering and childcare in West Africa. Under PRH, the organization supported individuals through its Leadership Development Fund.
This support has enabled local leaders to make substantive contributions to the field of population and reproductive health by fostering innovative solutions and fostering new inclusive leadership. “The recipients of this fund are now national and global leaders in this field,” Shettima said.
We also invested in Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the Girls’ Secondary Education project. The project led to, among other things, more girls in school, more inclusive classrooms across the community, and amplified voices for girls, boys, and teachers.
Then came the human rights and international justice program. The program supported efforts to reform Nigeria’s criminal justice and electoral systems and monitor local government resources and oil revenues to strengthen human rights protections.
The foundation also became involved in higher education as part of a seven-donor collaboration called the African Higher Education Partnership. The organization works with four universities and the higher education sector to advance universities and centers of excellence, develop a new generation of academic and library resources, and create a backbone of internet connectivity that supports research, scholarship, and campus-community relationships. I invested in
The universities that benefited from the program are Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Bayero University, Kano, University of Ibadan and University of Port Harcourt.
Under this program, the Foundation supported 268 Doctor of Philosophy and 222 Master’s degree graduates across the four universities.
By 2015, the Foundation pivoted to the On Nigeria project, supporting Nigerian-led efforts to reduce corruption and strengthen accountability. This was the sixth MacArthur program in Nigeria. From 2015 to January 2024, MacArthur invested more than $150 million in the program through 317 grants to more than 200 grantees and co-grantees.
“After nearly a decade of Big Bet strategies, we are now seeing more responsive government institutions and stronger civil society lead collective action and enable us to experiment with and implement the laws and policies needed to ensure accountability. I am happy about it,” Shettima said.
Under its “On Nigeria” project, the MacArthur Foundation operates the education sector and works to fulfill its responsibility to promote the effective and efficient use of public resources by reducing corruption in this sector. I am. The project focuses on two programs: the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Fund and the Homemade School Feeding (HGSF) Program.
Next is the criminal justice cohort. Under this cohort, the CSO will develop model laws and policies that incorporate essential, unifying, and progressive elements of criminal justice law administration.
We also have a Media and Journalism Cohort, where independent media houses and more journalists bring together high-quality, data-driven investigative reporting to expose corruption and monitor implementation of anti-corruption commitments and forward-thinking solutions. is being carried out.
Commenting on the successes recorded over the past three decades, Professor of History and MacArthur Director pioneer in Nigeria, Bolanle O said the foundation had made history. “The success of this foundation extends across Nigeria and I congratulate all those who have been active in advancing the work of the foundation,” she said.
impact
Palfrey, the foundation’s president, said its 30 years of grant-making has involved many efforts in collaboration with Nigerians.
“Our work has saved lives through advances in population and reproductive health. Other programs have improved everyday lives through our grantees’ work in higher education and girls’ secondary education. Ta.”
“Over the past nine years, the On Nigeria project has been successful in the emergence of a more robust and resilient accountability ecosystem, where a diverse range of CSOs, community groups and government stakeholders work together to ensure integrity. We are pursuing it,” Palfrey added.
In a goodwill message, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the Foundation’s work over the past 30 years has demonstrated the power of a participatory approach to development.
“Your efforts recognize that change is possible when we work together based on our shared values. Foundations like MacArthur are helping us achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. It plays an important role in the competition towards the
YIAGA Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo, one of the MacArthur grant recipients, told PREMIUM TIMES that he received support to promote public accountability and fight corruption.
“Every support that YIAGA Africa receives from the MacArthur Foundation accomplishes three things: renews public trust in democracy, strengthens our institutional capacity, and transforms citizen behavior in the fight against corruption. Ta.”
“I can now say that MacArthur’s 30 years of work in Nigeria can be defined by one word: impact.It has been about building a country that believes in the rule of law, fighting corruption, and changing the electoral process. This is seen in the promotion of reforms, and of course has an impact on strengthening democratic institutions,” Itoto said.
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