Over the past four years, the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has enhanced the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) and business membership organizations (BMOs) across Nigeria.
Through its Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) initiative, USAID trained 215 CSOs and BMOs, supporting more than 1,000 organizations to promote policy reforms in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
These reforms addressed critical development challenges, including poverty, education, healthcare, corruption, and gender equality. The SCALE project also led to over 81 policy actions at federal, state, and local levels, and supported a nationwide consultation for CSO self-regulation, impacting over 400 organizations.
Angela Martin, Director of USAID Nigeria’s Peace, Democracy, and Governance Office, reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to advancing Nigeria’s democratic development at the program’s closeout event, stating, “USAID remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s journey towards a more inclusive and democratic society.”
The SCALE initiative, implemented by Palladium, has also empowered local CSOs with over $8.4 million in grants from donor agencies and fostered collaboration with security agencies, community leaders, and traditional institutions to tackle issues like human trafficking and gender-based violence.
Key achievements of the SCALE project include the integration of women, youth, and people with disabilities into civic dialogues and the launch of four postgraduate programs on organizational development and advocacy at Nasarawa State University, Keffi. The program’s impact aims to guide future civil society strengthening initiatives in Nigeria.
