In her opening remarks, the National Coordinator / CEO of AUDA-NEPAD / APRM, Hon. Princess Gloria Akobundu, said the programme is geared towards the “addressing the challenges identified in the second county review report and carrying out national capacity building on “monitoring and evaluation framework” for the effective implementation of the NPoA. She added, it is, therefore, critical to engage the implementers for better information, understating and ownership of the NPoA for effective implementation hence, the need for public sectors, MDAs, Civil Society organisations, organised private sectors, states and local government’s participation in this timely workshop. “If you don’t understand what you are to implement, you will not be able to drive it properly – she added.

The opening ceremony was graced by other eminent personalities among which include Senator Abai Ali, Chairman of APRM National Governing Council, Nigeria; Hon. Muhammed Bago, Chairman of House Committee on Integration in Africa / NEPAD; Hon. Prince Clem Agba, Honourable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning; Senator George Akuma, Honourable Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of APRM continental secretariat – Prof Eddy Maloka – who was represented by Mr Jean-Yves Adou, Ag Director of Monitoring and Evaluation.  In his remarks, Mr Jean-Yves Adou, appreciated H.E. President Muhammadu Buhari and Hon. Princess Gloria Akobundu for their giant stride in ensuring that Nigeria is reviewed for the second time and he urged participants and Nigerians to take ownership of the NPoA for a greater result. He thanked the African Development Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria for their support in organising the workshop.

The workshop was declared opened by the minister of finance, budget and national planning, Dr. Hajiya Shamsuna Zainab Ahmed, who said, the APRM is set to attain the Pan African Vision of a prosperous and integrated peaceful Africa that seeks to reckon itself within global politics. She added, APRM has recorded great milestones in providing a platform for the AU Member States that have acceded to the protocol to share information, knowledge, and experience as they review each other’s performance within the framework established by the institution. The minister who was represented by Adeosun Peter said “as a self-monitoring mechanism in all aspects of governance, the initiative places the people at the centre of the development discourse for the benefit of Africans in the continent which is in line with AU Agenda 2063. “The government is fully committed to promoting the good governance practice enshrined in the ideals and vision of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) which gave birth to the APRM.

The five (5) day workshop had in attendance about 200 participants drawn from the 36 states of the Federation and FCT as well as people from MDAs, Corporate Organization, Civil Society Organization and the Organized Private Sectors. The technical coordinator of the workshop, Mr Sampson Osei, presented the objective of the workshop as well as a comprehensive and rigorous methodology for drafting and harmonising the NPoA with the Nigeria 10 year National Development Plan, Agenda 2063 policy document, SDG’s 2030 and ECOWAS Agenda 2050.

The stakeholders and the experts went into four working syndicates: Democracy and Political Governance, Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development.  Each syndicate worked on the outcomes and recommendations in the country’s peer reviewed report which contains about 113 recommendations. About 98 percent of the recommendations were considered a priority and relevant to Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These were harmonized and included in the final 2nd NPoA.

The National Governing Council (NGC) responsible for technical supervision and monitoring of the NPoA and the Technical Research Institutes (TRI’s) consolidated the draft NPoA across the four syndicates. The stakeholders, most especially, the MDA’s had a better understanding of each of the proposed activities addressing the identified issues within the defined timeframe. Thus, they are well informed for ownership, and this is expected to enhance effective implementation, monitoring, reporting and timely submission of the progress report.

The workshop also gave opportunity to representatives of Egypt – Mr Mohamed Mohsen Mahmoud Amin; Ghana – Ms Winniefred Akoto-Sampong; Kenya – Mr David Yalla; and Uganda – Mr Samuel Kasule to share their experiences on the drafting, harmonisation, implementation of the NPoA and the lessons learnt with stakeholders present. It must be underscored that Kenya and Uganda had undergone the 2nd generation review process and implementing their own 2nd NPoA. The two countries, therefore, have tons of experience to share with other APRM member states.

In her closing remarks, Hon. Akobundu described the NPoA as a National document and expressed satisfaction at the level of enthusiasm expressed by participants at the workshop. She expressed optimism that the NPoA will stand the test of time having spent 5 days fine-tuning and improving the document for smooth implementation. Akobundu thanked President Muhammadu Buhari once again for his unalloyed support. She equally thanked the Secretary to Government of the Federation and APRM Focal Person, Barr Boss Mustapha and all participants who have contributed to the success of the process.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Nigeria was peer-reviewed for the second time during the 31st APR Forum of Head of States and Government in February 4, 2022. Nigeria is the first to be reviewed the second time in West Africa and the Fourth in the Continent. Nigeria has once more played it’s leadership role in moving the African continent forward. APRM promotes best practices that will lead to sustainable economic growth, infrastructure development, political stability as well as an accelerated Sub-regional and Continental economic integration of the Continent.