VOICE OF NAIJA)-In 2019, Accountability Lab Nigeria, in partnership with Oando Plc and the Government of Canada held an Innovation Challenge focused on Sustainable Development Goal 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).
This was part of efforts to deepen transparency and strengthen accountability in Nigeria.
The innovation challenge held in Abuja and Lagos saw the civil society actors highlighting the critical link between youth-driven innovation and the fight against entrenched corruption.
The challenge provided a platform for young Nigerians to design creative solutions for promoting justice, rule of law and integrity in their communities.
From over 40 submissions, finalists underwent intensive mentorship sessions before pitching their ideas to a panel of judges.
The winning entry, by Odunsi Oluwaseun Shekinah, proposed a nationwide book donation drive to support education in disadvantaged communities.
Other notable projects included visual storytelling to track government accountability, and innovative tools to improve learning outcomes for primary school pupils.
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But while young Nigerians designed bold ideas to tackle injustice, civil society organisations have also taken a step further in unearthing how systemic corruption undermines development.
A new report by the Civil Society Coalition on Audit in Nigeria (CSCAN) has revealed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) could not account for N90.9 billion spent on 176 contracts between 2008 and 2018.
Physical inspections showed most of the projects were either abandoned, poorly executed, or had no traceable location.
The 293-page report further found that of 115 priority projects valued at N98.5 billion, contractors received N61.8 billion, yet N15.3 billion remains unaccounted for.
The projects spanned roads, water, education and health facilities – sectors critical to the well-being of Niger Delta communities still reeling from underdevelopment and environmental degradation despite decades of oil wealth.
Executive Director of Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), Olusegun Elemo, described the findings as a “deliberate deprivation of the people,” urging anti-graft agencies and the National Assembly to recover the misused funds.
BudgIT Foundation represented by Folasayo Onigbinde also decried the NDDC’s failure to deliver value despite receiving more than N6 trillion since 2001, including statutory allocations, oil company levies, and international grants.
For Accountability Lab’s Country Director, Friday Odeh the innovation challenge of 2019 and the NDDC audit reports highlight Nigeria’s urgent need for a modern audit law and stronger governance frameworks. “We saw a generation eager to lead with integrity, yet weighed down by institutions that leak resources meant for development,” he said.