Research coy advocates data-driven solutions for grass-root governance
By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
A research and advisory company, Veriv Africa, is advocating for data-driven solutions to address governance and reforms across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the country.
Ms Omotayo Faro, Managing Director of the company said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Faro said that local governance reforms had become necessary following the 2024 Supreme Court judgment that upheld local government autonomy in the country.
She said that the company had begun research on local governance, strengthening initiatives in collaboration with Nigerian Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), starting with Kaduna State.
“Through this NYFF-supported initiative, Veriv Africa aims to equip local governments and civil society with data to strengthen service delivery, empower youth and communities to hold decision-makers accountable.
“This will demonstrate a scalable model for governance reform across the 774 LGAs.
“Improving governance begins at the grassroots and the data-driven solutions will put communities at the centre of development,” she said.
She said that the project focused on five LGAs in9 Kaduna state, which include Chikun, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Zaria.
She said that the project assessed the gaps in governance such as agriculture, healthcare, education, vocational services as well as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
“It offers vital, evidence-based insights into the realities of service delivery and development at the local level.
“The insights can help to prepare Kaduna and other Nigerian states for a more accountable, transparent and community-driven future.
“The assessment revealed that the education sector in Kaduna State suffers from chronic underfunding, with more than 90 per cent of respondents reporting inadequate learning materials.
“In the healthcare sector, in spite of the physical presence of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), service delivery is hampered by inadequate infrastructure and staffing.
“More than 59 per cent of respondents reported the absence of doctors or nurses in their local PHCs, raising serious concerns about access to quality care,” she said.
She further said that the assessment showed that the agricultural practices in the state had been constrained by insecurity, poor access to inputs, inadequate extension services and weak market systems.
According to her, farmers continue to face barriers, with many citing government interventions as inaccessible or ineffective.
“In WASH, residents of Kaduna LGAs face widespread water shortages and poor sanitation, while over 93 per cent of respondents experience water scarcity in the previous three months.
“Another challenge is poor toilet facilities, thereby contributing to poor public health outcomes,” Faro said.
She urged policymakers, development partners and civil society actors to collaborate on scalable reforms across LGAs and also get the details of the report on www.verivafrica.com.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Veriv Africa is a research and advisory company dedicated to leveraging data, technology and domain expertise to transform data into actionable intelligence. (NAN)
Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi/Kadiri Abdulrahman
