Kaduna Commits to Deeper Open Governance as OGP Week 2026 Closes
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and citizen participation as it wrapped up the 2026 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Week with a strong call for sustained reforms across sectors.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Mukhtar Ahmed, said the week had reinforced Kaduna’s position as a leading subnational driver of open governance in Nigeria and beyond.
He described the 15th anniversary of the Open Government Partnership as a “renewed call to action,” urging stakeholders to deepen reforms that strengthen public trust and ensure government remains open and citizen-focused.
Throughout the week, stakeholders from government, civil society, and development partners engaged in high-level dialogues spanning health, education, climate resilience, social protection, and public finance transparency.
Key highlights included renewed commitments to improve service delivery in health and education, stronger citizen engagement through digital governance platforms, and expanded use of open contracting tools to enhance accountability in public procurement.
Youth participation also featured prominently, with young leaders engaged as key actors in social protection reforms and introduced to tools such as the CoST initiative and Kaduna’s open contracting portal.
Discussions further tackled pressing issues such as climate-resilient WASH systems and the intersection of climate change, gender, and care work, alongside policy clinics aimed at strengthening accountability mechanisms.
Mukhtar Ahmed commended Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and development partners for what he described as “tireless collaboration” in translating government commitments into tangible results for citizens.
According to him, Kaduna’s progress in open governance is the product of shared responsibility, noting that no meaningful reform can succeed without strong civic participation and institutional cooperation.
As the week concluded, stakeholders were urged to sustain the momentum, with renewed commitments to deepen reforms, expand transparency initiatives, and strengthen participatory governance across the state.
With this year’s OGP Week now concluded, Kaduna State says it is moving forward with a stronger resolve to institutionalize openness as a permanent feature of governance.
