Ehis Agbon
Kaduna, Nigeria — Stakeholders at a virtual dialogue held to mark the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week have called for urgent reforms to enhance transparency and accountability in infrastructure development across Kaduna State.
The dialogue, themed “Building Trust Through Infrastructure Transparency Initiatives,” was convened on May 23, 2025, by the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) and Open Contracting for Infrastructure Data Standard (OC4IDS) Technical Working Group (TWG), with support from the Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment & Development (CALPED). The event brought together participants from government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), the organized private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs), the media, and development partners.
The engagement aimed to promote transparency and accountability in infrastructure development, strengthen the capacity of CSOs and media for effective advocacy, share best practices, and identify challenges while proffering solutions for improved infrastructure transparency.
Key observations from the dialogue highlighted critical gaps in Kaduna State’s infrastructure governance. Participants acknowledged the progress made by the Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA) in raising awareness and training procurement officers. However, they expressed concerns over the delay in releasing procurement audit reports and the persistent challenges in ensuring timely, comprehensive, and accessible procurement data.
Stakeholders noted that while the KADPPA website has been active in publishing available data, many procuring agencies have failed to make necessary information public. This, they argued, has hampered citizen engagement, limited oversight, and perpetuated inefficiencies in infrastructure delivery.
Concerns were also raised over the slow integration of e-procurement systems, such as the pending adoption of Microsoft Navision and the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS), as well as the lack of capacity among MDAs to effectively manage transparency processes due to infrastructural and digital literacy challenges.
The dialogue emphasized the need for stronger political will to enforce transparency measures, including penalties for non-compliant MDAs and individuals who resist scrutiny. Stakeholders stressed that transparency initiatives must be decentralized across all MDAs, with robust data systems that empower citizens to monitor and evaluate infrastructure projects from conception to completion.
Among the key resolutions adopted were:
- High-level advocacy to ensure all MDAs upload procurement data in line with OCDS and OC4IDS principles.
- Collaboration between the TWG and KADPPA to establish Youth/Students Communities of Practice on open contracting.
- Calls for a comprehensive review of existing infrastructure laws and the urgent reconstitution of the Public Procurement Board.
- Advocacy for improved procurement systems in local governments in line with the Local Government Reform Law 2018.
- Urgent enhancement of the e-procurement portal for better data accessibility.
- Development of a guidance note to embed the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative (CoST) in procurement cycles.
- Annual release of procurement audit reports for public scrutiny.
- Fostering stronger partnerships between MDAs and civil society for greater transparency and accountability.
The dialogue concluded with a call to action for civil society and media to build coalitions, conduct investigative journalism, and hold duty bearers accountable. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of citizen engagement throughout the entire budget and project lifecycle, including the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and decommissioning stages of infrastructure projects.
Signed by Stephen Waya (Co-chair, OCDS & OC4IDS) and Bilkisu Ibrahim (Assistant Secretary, OCDS & OC4IDS), the communique represents a roadmap for deepening infrastructure transparency and rebuilding public trust in Kaduna State.
