Nigeria

Nigeria

ActionAid is a global movement of Head Office people working together to Plot 477, 41 Crescent, off Sa'adu achieve greater human rights for Zungur Avenue Gwarinpa, Abuja Take End all and defeat poverty. We believe Telephone: +234 (0) 812 8888 825-7 people in poverty have the power Email: info.nigeria@actionaid.org within them to create change for Website: www.actionaid.org, www.actionaid.org/nigeria themselves, their families and communities. ActionAid is a Regional Office Action: Poverty! catalyst for that change. 1A, Adeboye Solanke Street Off Allen Avenue (behind Zenith Bank) Ikeja, Lagos. Country Strategy Paper 2014 - 2018 Twitter: www.twitter.com/ActionAidNG f Facebook: www.facebook.com/ActionAidNigeria Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is ‘‘ not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom Nelson Mandela 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013 Content PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID

CONTENTS iii Big Sister 15 FOREWORD iv WHO WE ARE 17 ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS 2 Our Vision, Mission and Values 18 INTRODUCTION 3 Our Theory of Change 19 About This Strategy 4 Our Unique Ways of Working 20 CONTEXT ANALYSIS 5 MISSION OBJECTIVES 21 Poverty In The Midst of Plenty 5 ORGANISATIONAL PRIORITIES 25 Democracy without Democrats 9 APPENDIX:

COVER PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE Culture of Discrimination and RISK MATRIX 30 Exclusion 12 Financial Performance 32 Failing Social Service Provisioning 13 Board Members and Country Saving Our Climate 14 Management 34 Civil Society Space 15

ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 iii Foreword

This strategy, Take Action: End Poverty!, is a people actions and organisations. Businesses in Nigeria reflection of the challenges of poverty and exclusion in have been growing in influence and some of them are Nigeria. It is ActionAid's response to these challenges providing useful development interventions, we therefore through effective ways of ensuring people, individually look forward to their standing with the people to ensure and collectively, take action to end poverty in the a focused public policy environment working to end country. The strategy evolved from concerted efforts by poverty. our staff, Board members, the General Assembly and partners to build on the gains of the past two strategies. The young people, who constitute well over 40 percent With this new strategy we are moving beyond of the country population, we hope will be active among intervening in the issues of the poor and socially those at the vanguard of our efforts to move people, disadvantaged, working with the people and their government and corporates to take action to end agencies to influence government policies. This policy is poverty in the five years of this new strategy. geared towards getting people more actively involved in the efforts at ending poverty. Through this strategy we expect to inject a new dynamism into our work. We expect to carry out people Drawing from reviews of the performance of the last two driven interventions on governance and accountability, strategies, Fighting Poverty in the Midst of Plenty women's rights, health, education, food and human (2004 – 2008) and Fighting Poverty in the Midst of security in face of conflicts and emergency. Our Plenty II (2009 – 2013), staff, partners and other interventions will focus on working with poor people and collaborators, including government agencies expressed their agencies, influencing government policies, building the belief that people acting in concert to end poverty is strategic relationship with businesses and partnering a priority we need to set. with other organisations.

In this new strategy, just as we have been able to We therefore invite development partners, government partner with some government agencies and people's agencies and partner organisations and communities to platforms in the last few years, we also look forward to support this strategy paper through increased active involvement of businesses in influencing pro- collaboration.

Professor Patricia Donli Hussaini Abdu, PhD Chair, Board of Trustees Country Director

PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID iv ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 Abbreviations and Acronyms

AAI: ActionAid International AAN: ActionAid Nigeria APRM: African Peer Review Mechanism AU: African Union Introduction CBO: Community Based Organisation CCM: Country Coordinating Mechanism ActionAid Nigeria has implemented two Country the sixth thematic area. The Right to life of Dignity in Strategy Papers since it was established in 1999. Face of HIV programme was also expanded to CD: Country Director Fighting Poverty in the Midst of Plenty (2004 – address other serious public health concerns. CP: Country Programme 2008) and Fighting Poverty in the Midst of Plenty II CSO: Civil Society Organisation (2009 – 2013) were developed and implemented in In 2011, we had a mid-term review of Fighting CSP: Country Strategy Paper response to the paradox of the majority of the Poverty in the Midst of Plenty II, with a view to D, HROE: Director, Human Resources and Organisational Effectiveness people living in extreme poverty amidst the aligning our priorities with the new ActionAid DoF: Director of Finance country's enormous human and material resources. international Strategy, People's Action to End DoP: Director of Programmes Keeping faith with our strategy, ActionAid Nigeria Poverty. In the implementation of the strategies and has remained strongly committed to its vision of in the alignment with the new international strategy, ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States creating a world without poverty and injustice in we have remained committed to the organisation's EGBEK: Enhancing Girl Child Basic Education in Kebbi which every person enjoys his or her right to a life of vision of ending poverty and injustice. GDP: Gross Domestic Product dignity. As affiliate of ActionAid International, we GSM: Global System for Mobile Communications have continued to perform our responsibilities, The strategies enabled us to adopt flexible HRBA: Human Rights Based Approach showing fidelity to the tenets of the constitution of approaches to our work, especially in terms of our H S M: Human Security Manager the federation, and remain one of the strongest geographical focus. This allowed us to maximise ICT: Information and Communication Technology members of the civil society community in the impact in the 12 core states where our Local Rights INGO: International Non-Governmental Organization country. Programmes (LRP), hitherto known as Partnership against Poverty (PAP), are located. We also work LGA: Local Government Area In the first country strategy paper, ActionAid Nigeria innovatively and strategically with partners and LRP: Local Rights Programme prioritised five Thematic Areas: (i) Right to Life of donors across the rest of the country. NACA: National Agency for the Control of AIDS Dignity in the Face of HIV/AIDS; (ii) Right to NEITI: Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Education; (iii) Right to Human Security in Conflict The objective of building a strong movement NCC: Nigeria Communications Commission and Emergencies (iv) Women's Rights and (v) Right against poverty within Nigeria to influence the NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation to Just and Democratic Governance. These were formulation and implementation of policies linked to PAP: Partnership against Poverty all linked together by our geographically based the international anti-poverty movement was further PRS: Promoting Rights in Schools integrated Local Rights Programme. In the second strengthened in the second strategy through strategy, the prevalence of hunger and recognition emphasis on building people's agencies and linking UNICEF: The United Nations Children's Fund of the place of food security in poverty eradication all of these in our work at the local, state, national necessitated the introduction of Right to Food as and international levels.

2 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 3 About this Strategy Context

This strategy is a product of wide people's access to quality services. Analysis consultation with our stakeholders, including our board members, partners, our Ÿ Advancing the rights of women and girls, Nigeria is the most communities, peer organisations, state including promotion of their safety and populous country in agencies and our staff. This was done participation in public and private Africa, with an estimated through an all-embracing and systematic spaces. population of 168.8 process, involving a thorough review of the million. Occupying Ÿ Advancing the rights of children and implementation and performance of the last 923,768 square metres strategy by independent experts; peer supporting young people in undertaking PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID of land, it has over 250 review by colleagues from the International just, democratic and inclusive ethnic groups who speak Secretariat, a partners/Board reviews development initiatives. over 400 languages. session and staff forum. A staff reference team was set up to coordinate these Ÿ Enhancing human security and livelihood With three major religious activities on behalf of the organisation. The in the face of conflicts and natural groups (African team gave regular feedback to colleagues disasters. Traditional Religion, for review and recommendations. The final Christianity and Islam), draft was presented to the Board of We have also identified some key Nigeria is one of the Poverty in the employment but contributes only about 2.5 Trustees for approval. organisational priorities required for effective most diverse countries in percent of export earnings2. Nigeria is implementation of the strategy. These 1 the world . Nigeria is a Midst of Plenty Africa's largest producer of petroleum and This strategy document therefore benefited priorities include: federation of 36 states, the seventh largest in the world. Petroleum from inputs from our partners, staff grouped into six Nigeria is the second largest economy in products account for about 15.0 percent of Ÿ members, government agencies, our Investment in staff capacity to achieve GDP, 71.0 percent of export earnings and geopolitical zones, sub-Saharan Africa; it is next to South international colleagues and friends of the requisite skills mix. 3 Africa and has been projected to surpass 79.0 percent of government revenue . In the ActionAid Nigeria. The strategy builds on namely South-south, South African economy in the next few last quarter of 2012, Nigeria's GDP growth experiences from our 13 years of Ÿ Strengthening internal governance South-East, South-West, years. The economy is dominated by was put at 7.1 percent. This growth is yet to programming and field experiences. It also structures to provide strategic and North-East, North-West agricultural and petroleum products. Nigeria impact positively on the lives of the poor. aligns with the ActionAid global strategy. effective oversight. and North-Central. In has vast arable land and huge petroleum Typical of most neoliberal economies in addition, there is a deposits. Its solid mineral potential is developing countries, it has been a paradox Our strategic focus for the next five years Ÿ Strengthening systems and enhancing Federal Capital Territory believed to be huge, although only a small of growth with increasing poverty, will be on: synergy for quality programme delivery. with six area councils. In fraction has been explored. unemployment and inequality. all, 774 local government Ÿ Strengthening people's capacity for Ÿ Increasing a secure resource base with areas constitute the third Agriculture accounts for about 30.9 percent Unemployment was put at 13.1percent in action to hold government and the right funding mix and flexibility. tier of political of the GDP and 70.0 percent of the year 2000; by 2011 it rose to 23.9 corporates to account and enhance administration. 1APRM Country Review Report No 8 Federal Republic of Nigeria. May 2008 2http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/fileadmin/uploads/aeo/2013/PDF/Nigeria%20-%20African% 20Economic%20Outlook.pdf 3Ibid 4 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 5 percent. Unemployment among youth is is shared - rose from 42.9 to 48.89. Nigeria over 50 percent. The top 10 percent income is therefore one of the most unequal earners are responsible for about 43 percent countries in the world. of total consumption expenditure in the country, indicating an expanded rate of The agricultural sector employs about 70 inequality4. As at 2012, about 80 percent of percent of the population. 67 percent of the nation's wealth was believed to be in the women are working in agriculture, making clutches of just about one percent of the up 80 percent of the agricultural labour population5. Reports indicate a steady rise in force. However, only 7 percent of women the incidence of poverty. It is estimated that own the land they farm, and they manage poverty incidence in Nigeria increased to 69 only 15 percent of plots, 10 percent among percent in 2010 from the 54 percent the poor. 80 percent of those working in recorded in 20046. There are now 102 agriculture are small-holders, cultivating 2 million poor people in Nigeria, an increase of hectares or less10. The smallholder majority 22 million since 2004. The bottom three grow mostly staple food crops with few quintiles are living on between 70 and 150 external inputs and they only engage Naira per person per day8. occasionally in markets. However, government's priority intervention has been Children of Ikot Mfom The disparity between the rich and the poor to channel huge resources to large-scale Community, after schools hours, continues to grow at an alarming rate. farmers, who have access to government- transporting palm kernels from the farm to their homes. Between 2004 and 2010 Nigeria's Gini guaranteed loans, subsidized tractor hire PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID index - a measure of how unequally income services and other inputs. On the other hand, small holder farmers, particularly women farmers, in most poor communities are finding it difficult to access land, credit facilities, extension services and other essentials. Similarly, access to markets is a critical challenge due to poor state of transport infrastructure, lack of adequate storage and processing facilities, corruption and exploitative activities of middle-people.

With the embrace of neo-liberal economic reforms, Nigeria has since 1986 embarked on privatisation of state enterprises and 4Ogbu, Osita (2012) Towards Inclusive Growth in Nigeria 5Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform (2013) Wasted Billions: Citizens Report on State and Local Government Budgets in the Niger Delta 2012. 6See for instance, National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria Poverty Profile, 2011 Africa Development Bank, “Nigeria economic outlook” 2012 7Per capita headcount method. With the adult equivalent method, the increase is from 60 million to 75 million, an increase of 15 million. 8The $ per day measure taking account of PPP is not yet available.

9 World Bank 2012 PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID 10The definition of small-holder (and the range of land holdings and land sizes cultivated) differs significantly from one agro-ecological zone to another. This number is therefore just a rough estimate for Nigeria as whole. 6 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 commercialisation of social services. resources to crude oil theft which happens on However, in most cases, the privatisation industrial scale. Though data is hard to come efforts have not resulted in expected by in the country, a recent study has shown transformation of the fortunes of the that “an average of 100,000 barrels per day privatised public enterprises. vanished from facilities on land, in swamps and in shallow water in the first quarter of The corporate sector in the past few years, 2013.”11 This stolen crude, which amounts to especially since the transition to civil rule, has 5 percent of total output, may not include grown and increased in influence. The sector what is lost at export points. Some of what is has in recent times become more influential in stolen is exported. Proceeds from the sales of determining state policy directions. The local this stolen crude are laundered through world “captains of industries”, in close collaboration financial centres and used to buy assets in with their multinational partners, appear to be and outside Nigeria. Apart from creating Democracy without different forms of political subterfuge and Protesters at the January dictating how the economy is run. reputation problems for the country, it outright lawlessness. The polity is thus 2012 protests against increase in the pump price of substantially compromises legitimate crude oil Democrats characterised by a continuously shrinking petroleum Most of these corporations are offered a vast business. Falilat Kilani, member of democratic space, over-centralisation, lack PHOTO: ACTIONAID the smallholder array of tax incentives, notably on both By the time Nigeria returned to democratic of accountability and increasing culture of women farmers' group in imports and exports, resulting in massive Nigeria's economy in recent years has rule in 1999, a generation of Nigerians had Wasimi Odunwo impunity. There is increase in the cases of revenue losses. From 1999-2012, the benefited immensely from the expansion of Community, Ondo State grown under military dictatorship without political repression at all levels of PHOTO: government lost nearly one N1trillion (US$6.3 the telecommunications industry and growth practical democratic experience. It was government. Democratic institutions are ACTIONAID/FEMI IPAYE billion) – an average of N71 billion (US$448 in internet access. The ICT sector is arguably hoped that the ghost of military dictatorship being systematically undermined and civil million) a year–on duty waivers granted to the fastest growing and one of the most would be quickly buried. However, the society space being challenged, no thanks importers and exporters, according to one robust sectors of the Nigerian economy, challenge of popular participation and public to the syndrome of expanding state and the estimate. Apart from money lost through contributing more than the manufacturing, accountability remain huge, with anti-people pursuit of self-interest by politicians. incentives, the nation is also said to be losing banking and solid minerals sectors economic policies, mega corruption and Electoral contests have usually assumed the 12 huge funds through tax avoidance by combined. According to the Nigeria impunity in public finance management dimensions of warfare, with desperate multinationals and big corporations. In the oil Communications Commission (NCC), the prevalent. politicians working to outdo one another in sector alone, according to the Nigeria regulatory body in the Nigeria electoral manipulation and vote rigging. Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative telecommunication sector, there are 114.172 The present political dispensation is still While every politician talks about (NEITI), the country lost an estimated US$9.6 million active subscribers on the Global being driven by ex-military officers or people democracy, their actions and attitudes billion in the past 10 years due to unpaid or System for Mobile Communications (GSM) in who were actively involved in previous undermine everything democratic. The underpaid tax by the oil companies. the country, with 34,471,520 of these using military regimes. Although formal situation is more like a democracy without 13 Internet data specific to the GSM. In democratic institutions are in existence and democrats. Apart from these losses incurred due to addition, with 56 million internet users, Nigeria to some extent active, politicians have incentives and unpaid tax by the is said to have the highest population of shown less commitment to democracy and Though Nigeria has a Freedom of multinationals, the nation loses huge internet subscribers on the African continent. some of them work to undermine it through Information Act, much of government

11Christina Katsouris and Aaron Sayne (2013) “Nigeria's Criminal Crude: International Options to Combat the Export of Stolen Oil”, The Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House 12Lanre Adedeji (January 2013) Telecommunications and the Nigerian economy, The Lawyers Chronicle Telecommunications and the Nigerian ECONOMY http://thelawyerschronicle.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=142:telecommunication-and-the-nigerian-economy& catid=45:trends-a-development&Itemid=57 13Vanguard Newspaper June 13, 2013 http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/ncc-says-34-5m-subscribers-in-nigeria-use-data-on-internet/

8 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 9 business is still shrouded in secrecy and the and employment opportunities. These public finance management process has account for the restiveness amongst young remained a closed space, fuelling people. Many of them seek alternative corruption. Politicians, with the connivance means for material survival, including those of bureaucrats, devise various means to for which their youthful energies are subvert the Public Procurement Act (2007). suitable, even when the violent implications Security agents wantonly abuse the human threaten society. rights of citizens. While these abuses have remained grossly underreported, reported With expanding mega corruption and cases are hardly investigated. Proven impunity, diminishing accountability and perpetrators are not held to account. access to justice, political violence has since gravitated towards anarchy. This has The patriarchal character of the society has increased violent conflicts and crimes, such grossly undermined women's political as armed robbery, kidnapping, terrorism participation and access to power. Women and communal violence. The situation is Pupils at the inauguration therefore suffer huge marginalisation and getting overwhelming and the state is of new school exclusion in the political process of the looking overstretched. It is reported that the Building in Ikot Mfom, Akwa Ibom State country. While women constitute 50 percent country currently has the largest “peace PHOTO: 15 of Nigeria's population and majority of time” military and police deployment . ACTIONAID/FEMI IPAYE registered voters, they have, however, occupied less than 10 percent of elective positions since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

About three quarter of the Nigerian population comprises young people. The average age in Nigeria is 19.2 years for male and 19.3 years for female. With a population growth rate of 2.6 percent14, the children and young people's population is increasing astronomically. Of the 73.5 million Nigerians registered to vote in the 2011, 62.4 percent were young people. Despite the large percentage of the population, young people are excluded from social, economic and political processes. PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID They have limited access to social services

14National Planning Commission, 2012, Abuja. 15 Ibid 10 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 recognition of the economic contributions of over the next 10 years, in just four women; and harmful cultural and traditional infrastructure areas, thus: power ($18-20 practices. billion); rail tracks ($8-17 billion); roads ($14 billion), and oil and gas ($60 billion).”19 Take Violence against women manifests on the the example of electricity: As at December street, in the work place and school in the 2012, it was estimated that “60 million forms of verbal abuse, sexual harassment Nigerians now own power generating sets and rape, all of which combine to frustrate for their electricity, while the same number the advancement of women and girls. spends a staggering N1.56 trillion ($13.35m) to fuel them annually.”20 Although Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Indeed, the country is littered with signposts has enacted a Child Rights Law, the rights of to poor public service delivery. In the children are blatantly violated at all levels. education sector, from primary to the Child labour is common but the more university levels, private investments have pernicious forms of child abuse are child mushroomed all over the country. These marriage, child trafficking and the torture have continued to gain patronage in spite of they are subjected to under allegations of evidence that they lack qualified teachers witchcraft. and basic teaching facilities. Cashing in on the instability of in the sector, characterised

PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID In some parts of the country toddlers are as it is by frequent university closures, Culture of practices and beliefs. Religion and traditional abandoned on streets to fend for themselves operators of private educational institutions practices have continued to provide contexts under the Almajiri system. charge exorbitant fees while the public Community dialogue with women Discrimination for the repression of women. schools, especially those in remote locations group in Lugga Community, It is estimated that Nigeria has 10.7 million charge outrageous but illegal fees out of EGBEK Project, Kebbi State and Exclusion PHOTO: FATIMA In Nigeria, up to a third of women have been out of school children, which accounts for reach of the poor. BUHARI/ACTIONAID The patriarchal character of the society has subjected to one form of violence or another close to 20 percent of the global figure17. impacted on gender power relations in the -- battery, verbal abuse, emotional and country. Women and girls experience psychological abuse, marital rape, sexual Failing social service exclusion and extreme prejudice. Gender- exploitation or harassment. One in every five provisioning based violence has remained a major has been physically abused16. Women living challenge, with the state, its agencies and in poverty face suppression; violence in In spite of the huge resources available to the security institutions appearing helpless public and private spaces; non-participation the country, Nigeria has one of the most and ineffective. Issues of early marriage and in decision making at community, state and defective and inefficient public infrastructure. flagrant abuse of rights of children are still national levels; poor access to reproductive It is said to be below what is required for 18 major challenges. These are also upheld and health services; limited access to and control development . As at 2011, it was estimated continue to fester through traditional of land; expanding unpaid care work; non- that “Nigeria needs to invest over $100 billion 17Education for All Global Monitoring Report, http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/ 18'Nigeria's infrastructure yet to meet requirements for economic development' an interview with Central Bank of Nigeria Governor in BusinessDay Newspaper http://businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/economic-watch/18806-nigerias-infrastructure-yet-to-meet- requirements-for-economic-development 19ibid 16British Council 2012 op cited 20http://www.energy.gov.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47 12 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 13 under-five deaths22. While the country has temperatures are expected to reduce Civil Society Space made appreciable progress in HIV/AIDS farming periods in the Sahel region by 20%. prevention, reports indicate that 60,000 Most parts of Nigeria are vulnerable to Nigeria has a history of vibrant civil society children are still reportedly infected with HIV climate change-related extreme weather consisting of CBOs, NGOs, networks, labour in 2012, making Nigeria the country with the conditions such as droughts, floods and and industrial unions, media and youth highest number of children living with HIV in other less dramatic, but no less inimical organisations. CSOs have made the world.23 HIV prevalence among the conditions like desertification. In 2012, huge tremendous impact in their collective general population is 3.6 percent. About floods swept poor communities, farmlands response to the development challenges in 300,000 new infections occur annually with and businesses in 30 out of the 36 states of the country, including the struggle against people aged 15 – 24, contributing 60 Nigeria. An estimated 7.7 million persons military authoritarian rule, the fight against percent of the infections. Over 75 percent24 were affected26. Homes, properties and corruption, ensuring effective public service of the HIV response in Nigeria is donor livelihoods, such as farms, were destroyed, delivery and holding public officers funded. Given the shifting focus of donor while thousands of people were displaced. accountable for their actions in a political priorities, it is critical that public resources The situation also posed a threat to food setting noted for impunity. Despite the be channelled towards sustaining the HIV security. In the same vein, desert increasingly frustrating political environment, response and providing quality maternal encroachment in northern Nigeria has been civil society organisations have kept to their care a major cause of food shortage in the Sahel historical commitment to democracy and region of the country, heightening poverty, human rights. The country has therefore PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID Public health facilities are mostly patronised Nigeria ranks fourth among 22 TB burdened exclusion and violence. This, along with experienced huge expansion in both the by the poor who do so due to lack of countries. The incidence of polio in children population growth, will result in renewed number of civil society organisations and the Grace Bukola Oyediji crosses this makeshift bridge the way means to procure quality health care from range of their concerns, types of in parts of the country has remained a pressure on scarce natural resources if to her farm in Wasimi Odunwo, private providers. The failure of the public signpost of the inefficiency of the country's nothing is done to deal with the effects. programmes, scopes and sizes of operation. Ondo State health system has resulted in a huge crisis health system. While the main discourse Climate change induced migration has been However, there is also the concern that PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID in maternal and child health. According to a around the continued transmission of wild major source of violence in most parts of the limited accountability can undermine the UNICEF 2013 report on Maternal and Child poliovirus has been the politics of country. legitimacy of the civil society. health, every single day, Nigeria loses about immunization and the intersection of culture 2,300 under-five children and 145 women and religion, what has remained Years of oil exploration in the Niger Delta Big Sister of childbearing age. This makes the country underreported and easily gets pushed out of has created environmental disasters in the Nigeria is West Africa's largest economy the second largest contributor to the sight is the case of the underserved region. Illegal and crude mining, logging and representing 55 percent of West Africa's under–five and maternal mortality rate in the population. unmitigated carbon emission through gross domestic product27. It also remains a 21 world . different sources is a potential for huge major force in the Africa Union (AU), Saving Our Climate environmental crisis. Economic Community of West African Most of these deaths are traced to States (ECOWAS) and other regional bodies, preventable or treatable infectious diseases, Climate change and the consequences of Disaster response mechanisms in the playing critical roles in both their funding and such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, global warming have been a major concern country are still weak and uncoordinated positions in world affairs, including military measles and HIV/AIDS. This is put at more in Nigeria in recent years, posing serious due to inadequate funding at national, state action in conflict areas on the continent and 25 than 70 percent of the estimated one million humanitarian challenges. By 2050, higher and local government levels. outside it.

21http://www.unicef.org/nigeria/children_1926.html 22 ibid 26 23This Day Newspaper 28 June 2013 http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/un-report-nigeria-has-highest-number-of-hiv-children-worldwide/151782/ Niger Delta Citizens and Budget Platform (2013), Wasted Billions: Citizens Report on State and 24NACA 2011, National AIDS Spending Assessment – 2009 – 2010. Abuja Local Government Budgets in the Niger Delta 2012. 25 ActionAid Nigeria (2012) Floods in Nigeria Policy Brief 27http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/nigeria/role.html 14 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 15 Who We Are

ActionAid Nigeria is a member of the people living in poverty and their agencies to ActionAid global federation. We maintain a be embedded in government policies and strong relationship of interdependence and actions. We maintain strong solidarity with mutual accountability within the International the poor and take sides with them, even federation, ensuring a strong balance against all adversity. These elements require between self-rule and shared-rule. Although us to be credible, non-domineering, we started operations in Nigeria in 1999 as continuously learning and evolving a a Country Programme of ActionAid knowledge-based, activist, self-reliant and International, we have transformed into an internationalist organisation. Our core values autonomous national organisation of gender equality and courage of conviction registered with Nigeria's Corporate Affairs drive our determination to innovate, take Commission. We also have a partnership risks, promote women's leadership and agreement with the National Planning advance sustainable alternatives. Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We have a strong national governance structure consisting of a Board and a General Assembly, which are made up of reputable Nigerians who provide strategic oversight for its work.

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) works with poor and excluded communities, promoting their rights and empowering people living in poverty to take necessary action to end poverty. Because we work with and engage multiple agents, at different times and situations, we act as enablers, advocates, facilitators and catalysts. We work to create space for the voices and concerns of

PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID

ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 17 Our Vision, Mission And Values

Our Vision location and religion.

A world, without poverty and injustice, in Ÿ Honesty and transparency, being which every person enjoys his or her right to accountable at all levels for the life with dignity effectiveness of our actions and open in our judgements and Our Mission communications with others. To work in solidarity with the poor and

excluded people to eradicate poverty and Ÿ Solidarity with the poor, powerless PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID injustice and excluded will be the only bias in our commitment to the fight against Our Values poverty. Our Theory of Change We are driven by a passionate commitment We believe that poverty is a function of and powerful corporate bodies. People to organisational values. These values define Ÿ Courage of conviction, requiring us human rights violations and unequal power living in poverty and exclusion are the our work and relationship with our to be creative and radical, bold and relations. Promoting just and accountable primary agents of change. Poverty and communities, partners and other innovative – without fear of failure – in governance principles with democratic and injustice can be eradicated only when the stakeholders. pursuit of making the greatest transparent processes are thus necessary poor and excluded are able to take charge possible impact on the causes of conditions that must be ensured for poverty Ÿ of their lives and act to claim these rights. Mutual respect, requiring us to poverty. eradication and development in Nigeria to We are committed to promoting recognise the innate worth of all take place. development from below and challenging people and the value of diversity. Ÿ Independence from any religious or development from above through working political party affiliation. We believe that an end to poverty and with the poor and excluded groups. Ÿ Equity and justice, requiring us to injustice can be achieved in Nigeria Focusing interventions on those platforms work to ensure equal opportunity to Ÿ Humility in presentation and through purposeful individual and created by the people themselves is a vital everyone, irrespective of race, age, behaviour, recognising that we are collective action, led by the active approach to ending poverty. gender, sexual orientation, HIV status, part of a wider alliance against agency of people living in poverty and colour, class, ethnicity, disability, PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID poverty and injustice supported by solidarity, credible rights- In order to effect change it is therefore based alternatives and campaigns that important that we engage with people, address the structural causes and governments and institutions to respect, consequences of poverty. promote, protect and fulfil the rights of poor and excluded people. This shall range from In other words, people living in poverty often cooperation to protest through legitimate need to be supported to discover their own and non-violent process. The process shall power, get organised and connect into also include providing research and movements, publicly demanding their rights evidence, promoting alternatives and from local institutions, national governments running public campaigns.

ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 19 Our Unique Ways of Working Mission Objectives

ActionAid Nigeria operates at the local, making sure that we promote women's national and international spheres, working rights across all our work. As a result of Objective 1 with poor communities to achieve socially ascribed roles, women living in transformative changes. Our work covers poverty have less access to land, Strengthen people's action to hold governments and the entire federation of Nigeria. Through our education, networks, technology, transport, local rights programme, we work in both financial resources and political power. They corporates accountable and enhance people's access rural and urban areas, committing to long have less control over their bodies and to quality services term strategic relationships with safety – all of which keep them poor. communities in some of the untouched and In achieving this objective, we will work with and Adult Education and Education for hard-to-reach locations. We also work to Our partnerships and alliances are civil society organisations, social Children with Special Needs. Others influence regional and international policy important to us. We build long-term movements, youth platforms and relevant include, Gender-friendly Infrastructure in bodies. partnerships with community-based government agencies to fight corruption and Tertiary Institutions, Water Supply and organisations and social movements, impunity; and increase citizens' involvement Sanitation and electricity. We will increase PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID We work in partnership with civil society respecting their autonomy, strengthening in governance, especially in electoral our engagement with corporate organisations, community-based groups, their capacities and supporting them to processes to strengthen public organisations to influence public policies labour movements, coalitions, networks and share learning across issues, sectors, accountability. Through policy research, towards achieving fair redistribution of social movements to advance the cause of movements and geographies to build a campaigns and our economic literacy and resources and increased impact of our the poor and excluded. Our primary concern formidable movement for change. We also budget accountability initiatives, we will programme delivery. is to address issues of unequal power work in alliances with many different actors, ensure transparent procurement processes, relations that create poverty. Through our including NGOs, networks, think-tanks, engage government budgetary processes Key Outcomes: unique rights-based approach, we place unions, campaigns and progressive and get people to hold the state emphasis on empowerment, solidarity and companies. We seek to hold those with accountable in budgeting, revenues, Ÿ Outcome One: Increased access to campaigns. In collaboration with our power accountable through critical taxation (to ensure tax justice) and quality social services by people living in partners, we build the capacity of the people engagement. For example, ActionAid works expenditure. We will promote peoples' poverty and exclusion. and agencies to understand and have with governments or the private sector - action to demand for quality public services knowledge of their rights and claim same. engaging constructively where possible, and strengthen State's capacity to provide Ÿ Outcome Two: Increased citizens' We work in solidarity with them and support and being willing to challenge where these services, including gender and youth- engagement in governance and public them in building synergies with relevant necessary. We are also committed to our responsive public services. finance management processes. agencies, coalitions and movements. resolve to engage with policy issues, Because the underlying causes of poverty connecting local concerns to national and These services will include: Maternal and Ÿ Outcome Three: Increased and injustice are gendered, we are international agenda and providing Child Health, Sexual and Reproductive engagement with corporates and especially committed to working with alternatives. Rights, Primary Health care, Quality Basic governments in the promotion of tax women from these excluded groups and to Education, Girl Child Education, Early Child justice and pro-poor fiscal policies.

20 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 21 Objective 3

Advance the rights of children and support young people in building a just, democratic and inclusive society

Drawing from our 13 years-plus experience contribute to building a strong and dynamic in working on children's issues, this strategy youth movement that will contribute to the PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID seeks to deepen our child right collective quest for viable alternatives. With programming, with particular focus on girl the expanding public access to mobile Objective 2 child education, education for children with telephony and internet, we will use the new special needs and early child education. We media to enhance young people's Advance the rights of women and girls, promote their will work with civil society organisations, engagement with different institutional state agencies and communities in processes, including elections, political safety and participation in public and private spaces advancing the rights of children, building parties and the private sector. solidarity across different rights issues and In order to achieve our mission to eradicate parties and other platforms to enhance empowering communities to act in defence Key Outcomes: poverty and injustice, the rights of women women participation in decision-making. of these rights. We will advocate for children and girls has been placed at the centre of We will work with women and relevant to have access to quality basic education Ÿ Outcome Seven: Increased access by our work. We will work with women and girls institutions to enhance economic and other social services, while supporting children to qualitative basic education. and their organisations to advocate for alternatives and livelihood of women. their increased participation in decisions better policies and practices that advance that affect their lives, using the Promoting Ÿ Outcome Eight: Decrease in harmful their rights. We will work with governments Key Outcomes: Rights in Schools (PRS) framework. practices that target and infringe on the and the private sector through policy rights of children and young people, research and campaigns to ensure provision Ÿ Outcome Four: Increased This strategy will take advantage of the such as allegations of “child witches”, of quality reproductive health services and policies/legislation and actions that expanding young population to enhance child labour, child marriage and child the promotion of maternal and child health. eliminate harmful practices and violence youth participation in decision-making. trafficking. In addition, we will work with stakeholders against women and girls. Through different youth platforms, such as to provide the enabling environment to Activista, we will work to deepen public Ÿ Outcome Nine: Increased actions to reduce unpaid care burden on women and Ÿ Outcome Five: Increased participation accountability, influence public policies and mobilise young people and their 2013 Activista Organising provide adequate infrastructure to make our of women and girls in decision-making advocate for social services. We will work to organisations for progressive social for Change Camp in Akure, cities safe for women and girls. We will work spaces and processes. support young people's organisations and change. Ondo State with traditional institutions to eliminate PHOTO: ACTIONAID harmful traditional practices, such as child Ÿ Outcome Six: Enhanced capacity of marriage, widowhood practices and female women to demand for fair economic genital cutting. We will engage political alternatives and livelihood.

22 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 Organisational Priorities

Invest in staff capacity and requisite skill mix for Objective 4 effective delivery of organisational objectives

Enhance human security and livelihood for the poor Over the years, we have built core capability building and deploy the relevant hardware in project management, engagement with and software. and excluded duty bearers, campaigns and community To achieve this objective, we will work with international commitments on agriculture. mobilisation. In terms of organisational We will continue to imbibe the right politics, different agencies to strengthen government We will support the promotion of women's structure, AAN has a very good values, quality and skills in new entrants into and people's capacities to build resilience, access to land and agricultural inputs, and representation of women at all levels, with a the organisation through knowledge reduce disaster risk and establish effective continue to stand against land grab or female-to-male representation balance of management and staff development and people-friendly early warning systems. policies that undermine people's rights to 50:50. Women occupy key leadership programmes. We will also collaborate with government, the livelihood. We will work with women and their positions within the organisation. The private sector and other civil society groups organisations to engage governments on Women Forum instituted in the last strategy Key Outcomes and communities to build a disaster risk land redistribution and promote sustainable period has also enhanced the process of reduction programme. We will work to agricultural practices. leadership development by providing a Ÿ Outcome Fourteen: Maintain a support the enactment of conflict sensitive platform for capacity building, which has minimum of 50 percent female ratio in policies at all levels, on the strength of which Key Outcomes: enabled female staff to compete for and leadership position with female staff we will mobilize citizens to hold states grow into more strategic positions. actively contributing to strategic accountable in response to violent conflicts Ÿ Outcome Ten: Increased citizens' decisions. and disasters. To further strengthen engagement in the formulation and Critical areas for capacity development have Ÿ accountability, we will maintain strategic implementation of social protection and been identified, including knowledge Outcome Fifteen: Improved staff engagement with the Country Coordinating disaster management policies and management and information technology capacity to deliver on strategic and Mechanism (CCM) for disaster response and which impact the maintenance of organisational objectives. frameworks. PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID ensure provision of quality services in organisational memory and culture. Another emergency. We will work to ensure women Ÿ Outcome Eleven: Increased resilience of key capacity requirement is our fundraising and young people become major players in the poor and vulnerable to natural architecture and fundraising practices in our emergency response initiatives at all disasters. different programmatic areas, which have levels. We will support initiatives to protect become responsive to changing funding the rights of vulnerable groups during Ÿ Outcome Twelve: Increased citizens' contexts in Nigeria. conflicts and emergency. (especially women and youth) participation in emergency response, In light of our intent to venture into new Food security and livelihood is at the core of conflict reduction and peace building programme areas and to keep up with our fight against poverty. We will therefore initiatives. advancing alternative IT solutions for our work to strengthen small-holder farmers and work, especially in maintaining our relevant civil society platforms to advocate Ÿ Outcome Thirteen: Increased small- databases in tracking the impact of our programmes, we will invest in staff capacity for smallholder farmer-friendly policies and holder farmers' capacity to demand pro- hold government accountable in terms of its poor policies and their implementation

24 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 25 Strengthen internal governance structure to provide strategic and effective oversight

AAN has a robust governance structure Governance Unit to draw support for our made up of the General Assembly and governance development plans and Board. They are charged with the periodic reviews. responsibility of strategic oversight and support for fundraising. The membership Key Outcomes reflects different professional competencies and cultural diversity. These organs also Ÿ Outcome Sixteen: Increased include representatives of poor and involvement of Board members in policy excluded people. community level programme initiative and policy influencing. To ensure the Board and General Assembly continue to perform their statutory Ÿ Outcome Seventeen: Increased responsibilities, we will work to strengthen participation synergy and strategic them with affective and adequate relationship between the General ActionAid Nigeria staff at information on strategy implementation and Assembly, Board, and Management. Strengthen system and enhance synergy for quality 2013 Staff Retreat ensure better involvement of Members in PHOTO: ACTIONAID community activities, policy advocacy, Ÿ Outcome Eighteen: Increased Board programme delivery campaigns and fundraising. We will members' capacity to support PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID continue to work with the International organisational fundraising. ActionAid Nigeria has a robust staff periods. performance management system that not only focuses on reviewing staff objectives In view of the above, there is the need to but also incorporates measurement of staff increase staff response to performance adherence to organisational values. The management and facilitate a change in system involves capacity assessments that perception of the process to increase the feed into capacity development and impact of the outcomes and results succession plans. Line managers' ability to generated by the various components of engage with the system have been the system. The support provided to our improved over the years through continuous partner organisations will require further capacity development and monitoring, monitoring to ensure that all organisations resulting in a process that runs through each are reached and that the capacity gaps year with active coaching, mentoring and identified are addressed to ensure feedback sessions not limited to appraisal sustainable growth.

ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 27 Working with partner organisations is of the Security Policy and Country of the existing child sponsorship, raise more high-value funding through our corporate ActionAid Nigeria's approach to Operational Plan. We will also facilitate the high-value income, further increase engagements and high-value individual programming. Supporting the capacity provision and maintenance of office facilities institutional funding and raise unrestricted supporters. development of these organisations is while ensuring an environment conducive for fund to ensure a more diversified funding therefore important for effective programme optimal productivity. base. The following fundraising initiatives will Community Sponsorship: With the delivery. In the last strategy period, we be prioritised during the strategy period: support of AAI fundraising team, we will provided support to these organisations on Key Outcomes commence a Nigerian fundraising product systems and governance development. Child Sponsorship: We will work with the called Community Sponsorship in 2014. Ÿ Outcome Nineteen: Increased number International Secretariat and our funding This is a new model of regular giving, but We will work closely with line managers of skilled staff able to deliver on the affiliates to continue improvement in one that places emphasis on the through implementation of mentoring strategic objectives. management of the existing child community and not the child. Roll out of the programmes to further enhance their sponsorship mechanism. The idea is to initiative will be gradual in order to leverage appreciation of the relevance of the Ÿ Outcome Twenty: Increased number of attract allocation of more supporters, on lessons learnt and improve on the performance management process and its partner organisations having systems thereby increasing regular giving income. process. The funding will be wholly impact on overall organisational and structures in place, able to sustain unrestricted to provide better flexibility. performance. We will also work extensively operations after partnerships phase-out. High-value and Institutional in deploying our capacity assessment tools Fundraising: While we have made Key Outcomes to provide in-depth information on staff appreciable progress in institutional competencies for proper role alignments. Ÿ Outcome Twenty-One: Community Increase Resource base fundraising, we will continue our efforts in building on our current profile with our Sponsorship fully rolled out with more We will work with our partners to identify with right funding mix and donors. To complement this, we will unrestricted fund to support innovative key areas that require further support and intensify action in raising the national level programming. address the capacity gaps. We will support flexibility PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID reviews of their existing organisational structures and staffing against desired In the last few years, we have made standards necessary to deliver on our tremendous progress in our independent objectives in the long term. To achieve this, fundraising efforts. However, the funding we will deploy our participatory Partnership mix is skewed in favour of partnership Appraisal and Monitoring Framework to income. Although this can be regarded as a determine baselines from which support success in our effort to raise more can be provided. institutional income, the funds are often contractually restricted and fraught with With the increasing security challenges in risks. It therefore, limits the amount of the country, we will work to ensure the resources available for national level policy security and safety of staff and our work, emerging interventions and special organisation's assets. This will be done organisational initiatives. In view of this, the through commitment to the implementation strategic focus is to improve implementation

28 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 Risk Matrix

30 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 31 Financial Projection

32 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018 33 Corporate Information

Our Board of Prof. Patricia Donli Barr. Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau Trustees Prof Sam Egwu Ms. Omotunde Ellen Thompson Prof. U. A. Igun Ms. Jummai Umar-Ajijola

Mr. Johnson Ikube Mr. John Odah

Dr. Kole Shettima Ms. Rabi Isma

Dr. (Mrs) Timiebi Koripamo-Agary Ms. Mosun Belo-Olusoga

Mr. David Nwachukwu Dr. Hussaini Abdu

Barr. Ranti Bosede Daudu

Country Dr. Hussaini Abdu Country Director Management Ifeoma Charles-Monwuba Director of Programme /Deputy Country Director Team Oluwole Elegbede Director of Finance

Funmilayo Oyefusi Director of Human Resource & Organisational

Development Manager

Gimba Ahmed Bello Head, Internal Audit

Tasallah Chibok Head, Programme Quality

Suwaiba Jubrin Head, Partnership & Local Rights Programme

Toyin Ekpeneidua Head, Sponsorship and Fund Raising

Tunde Aremu Policy, Campaigns & Communications Manager

Aishatu Aliyu Finance and Operations Manager

Olugbenro Olajuyigbe Human Security in Emergency Programme Manager

Ipoade Omilaju Programme Manager, Health

Andrew Mamedu Programme Manager, Education

Amina Baba-Manu ENR Programme Manager

Jummai Lawan Musa Impact Assessment and Shared Learning Manager

PHOTO: FEMI IPAYE/ACTIONAID

34 ACTIONAID COUNTRY STRATEGY PAPER 2014 - 2018