By Abigael Joshua
Cloneshouse, a specialist evaluation firm, has pledged to support the Nigerian Evaluation Association (NAE) to ensure transparency and responsible use of resources by performing assessments and creating national accountability frameworks.
Mr Onochie Mokwunye, Director, Strategic Partnership and Programmes, Cloneshouse said this at the 2025 NAE and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Training and Symposium in Abuja.
The theme of the symposium is: “Strengthening National Development through Inclusive and Collaborative Monitoring and Evaluation System”.
He said the firm will also support the NAE to strengthen evaluation capacity, improve evidence use, and expand local expertise across Nigeria and Africa.
Cloneshouse, he said, was providing technical assistance to government, bilateral and multilateral agencies, foundations, private entities, and NGOs in monitoring, evaluation and learning.
“The symposium brings together evaluation professionals, policymakers, researchers, development partners, and youth evaluators to advance the practice and culture of evaluation across Nigeria and Africa.
“Cloneshouse is a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) organisation that provides evaluation, research, evidence and impact technology, and capacity-building services across Africa.
“The sponsorship underscores Cloneshouse’s belief that evaluation is central to accountable governance, effective programming, and sustainable development, values shared with the Nigerian Evaluation Association,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman, Chairman Board of Trustees, NAE, said monitoring, evaluation, research and learning are central to effective governance evaluations and custodians of truth.
“This gathering goes beyond the routine conference. It is a commitment to accountability, evidence-based policy-making and sustainable national development.
“The Monitoring and Evaluation training will equip professionals with the tools for credible ethical evaluations.
“The MERL symposium will bring practitioners and policymakers together to turn data into actionable insights and strengthen planning by getting an overall policy design,” Usman explained.
Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning said that monitoring and evaluation are drivers of the economy.
He assured the support of his ministry as a national planning custodian promising to partner the association to carry out its evaluation programmes.
“M and E is Key to national development plan, national evaluation is a pre condition for success in the implementation and the guide of the economy,” he said . (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
