From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
After three days of intensive collaboration, Kaduna’s social‑protection stakeholders unveiled a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework that promises to shift the state from fragmented reporting to a unified, evidence‑driven system.
The workshop, held in Zaria, brought together ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), local government areas, civil society groups, and development partners to review and expand the existing MEAL structure for the State’s Social Protection Policy.
In his closing remarks, Umar Sani Maikudi, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna Social Investment Programmes Agency (KADSIPA), thanked participants for their technical input and commitment.
Represented by Rebecca Maulome Padonu, Head of the Partnership and Development Coordination Unit (PDCU), who delivered the address on his behalf, he said, “What we have built goes beyond compliance; it is a state‑owned system that tracks every programme, strengthens accountability across MDAs and LGAs, and generates credible, timely evidence for decision‑making.”
She emphasized that learning will now be institutionalized, ensuring that policies continuously improve based on data.
According to the Executive Secretary, the expanded framework introduces real‑time data collection, digital reporting tools, and community scorecards, creating clear accountability channels and grievance‑redress mechanisms.
It also aligns with Kaduna’s development agenda—boosting agricultural productivity, enhancing security, strengthening schools, and expanding health services—while tying interventions to measurable outcomes that feed into Nigeria’s National Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This alignment sharpens accountability and makes Kaduna more attractive to government and donor funding,” noted
Dr. Ali Madina Dankumo of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, stressed that Local expertise was highlighted as central to the framework’s relevance.
Dr. Dankumo stressed that contextual knowledge of Kaduna’s ethnic diversity, infrastructure gaps, and sector‑specific challenges enables the design of culturally appropriate indicators and data tools, reducing bias and building trust among policymakers and citizens.
The framework’s accountability mechanisms—community scorecards, digital platforms, and other feedback loops—are tailored to local communication norms, empowering citizens, civil society, and government actors to hold programs to account.
Beyond design, the workshop served as a capacity‑building exercise. Specialists trained state officials, civil‑society organizations, and local implementers in monitoring techniques, evaluation methods, data analysis, and adaptive learning.
As skills are transferred, Kaduna’s institutions will retain internal expertise, reducing reliance on external consultants and embedding MEAL as a core function for continuous improvement.
Similarly, Amina Mohammed, Assistant Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit at the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, shared her experience with the program, underscoring that social protection extends beyond cash transfers to include educational support, health insurance, livelihood empowerment, and protection services for disadvantaged groups.
“The MEAL framework ensures that these interventions achieve real results, turning social protection into a structured system that upholds human dignity and promotes inclusive development,” she said.
With UNICEF’s technical and financial support, the expanded MEAL framework is set to become a living tool that drives impact, improves service delivery for the most vulnerable, and positions Kaduna State as a benchmark for evidence‑based, accountable social protection in Nigeria.
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