By Ehis Agbon.
Kaduna, Nigeria – July 24, 2025
In a bold move to enhance transparency and value-for-money in public infrastructure delivery, key stakeholders in Kaduna State have called on the media to play a pivotal role in ensuring accountability and public engagement in governance.
This charge was issued during a high-level media parley organized by the Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA), in collaboration with the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST), held in Kaduna.
The event brought together government officials, civil society actors, media professionals, and private sector representatives in a bid to strengthen a culture of open governance and collaborative monitoring of infrastructure projects.
Speaking on behalf of the Commissioner of Planning and Budget Commission, Bashir Ladan, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, described the parley as a strategic forum for building sustainable partnerships.
“The media is not only vital in amplifying reforms but also in holding government accountable and sustaining transparency,” Ladan emphasized.
He announced the launch of a groundbreaking Infrastructure and Procurement Data Portal—reportedly the first of its kind in Nigeria. The portal boasts Artificial Intelligence capabilities, climate-smart data integration, and inclusive features to ensure accessibility for people living with disabilities.
“This workshop is designed to build the capacity of journalists to navigate the portal effectively, enabling them to inform and empower citizens to participate in tracking infrastructure projects,” Ladan added.
On his part, Engr. Suleiman Abba, Director at KADPPA, outlined the technical objectives of the workshop, highlighting Kaduna’s innovation in adopting a localized version of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS), specifically tailored for water and infrastructure projects.
“Today’s session will train journalists on how to access and interpret procurement data to promote standard reporting practices that ensure accurate and consistent communication,” he said.
Tara Jeremiah Wyah, Manager of CoST Kaduna, praised the state’s pioneering efforts, noting that Kaduna is the first subnational entity in Nigeria to formally adopt CoST principles.
“Kaduna’s commitment to transparency is evident through its implementation of the Open Contracting for Infrastructure Data Standard (OC4IDS) and the Infrastructure Transparency Index (ITI),” Wyah stated.
He lauded the state’s proactive disclosure policy, which mandates the release of 67 specific data points throughout all stages of infrastructure projects—from planning to completion. These are backed by user-friendly dashboards and strategies aimed at sustainable procurement.
“Kaduna is raising the bar, not just for Nigeria but for other subnational governments across Africa,” Wyah noted.
The event ended with a unanimous call for sustained media-government engagement to ensure that public infrastructure investments align with global standards and deliver tangible benefits to the people of Kaduna State.
As Kaduna continues to set a national benchmark for open contracting and project transparency, the role of the media remains critical in bridging the gap between policy and public perception.
