By Tony Obiechina Abuja
The Chief Executive Officer and members of the Global Open Government Partnership (OGP) would visit Nigeria from Monday 25th to Friday 29th July 2022.
The visit intends to focus on meeting with Nigerian Stakeholders towards garnering greater political support for the implementation of the second National Action Plan and help secure high level political support for the OGP beyond the 2023 elections.
The delegation would also seek support for the implementation of existing OGP commitment, including the OGP MDTF supported commitment to institute a beneficial ownership register, support co-creation of Nigeria’s third National Plan, facilitate donor support for OGP and beyond the 2023 elections and hold a community consultation on the OGP strategic refresh.
In the course of the Global OGP Country Visit/meeting, the high-level delegation would be seeking one-on-one consultation with President Muhammadu Buhari Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr. Boss Mustapha, Minister of State Budget and National Planning, Price Clem Agba, among others.
The Delegation is also expected to visit NEITI Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Registrar-General /CEO Corporate Affairs Commission Mr Garba Abubakar, the world Bank Team, Civil Society, Leaders of Private Sectors, among others.
Nigeria has been one of OGP’s star performers since it joined the Partnership in 2016. Nigeria stakeholders have strived to meet OGP’s core values by building a collaborative spirit in their co-creation and implementation processes and implementation ambitious open Government reforms including on beneficial ownership transparency.
Since beginning its journey with OGP in 2016, the country has developed and maintained high-level political support for its OGP national; process championed by the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, being particularly instrumental to leading the convening of reformers and coordination of open government reforms using OGP.
This political commitment to OGP has been pivotal in Nigeria’s OGP progress to date. As a result, Nigeria has made great stride in advancing reforms such as beneficial ownership transparency and was voted by its peers onto the OGP Global Steering Committee that provides global leadership of the Partnership.
Nigeria is currently wrapping up the implementation of its second action plan. This plan continues commitments on beneficial ownership, budget openness, public contracts, extractive industry and implementation of freedom of information legislation from its first Action Plan.
