By WASH MEDIA
Stakeholders in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector have been trained on the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and data-driven budget advocacy in a collaborative effort aimed at strengthening accountability and improving funding for WASH interventions in Kano State.
The capacity-building workshop was organised through a collaboration between Self Help Africa, the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), and BudgIT, with participants drawn from government institutions, civil society organisations, and community-based groups.
Facilitators at the event provided in-depth explanations on Nigeria’s MTEF legal framework, the budgeting cycle, and the linkage between the MTEF, Medium-Term Sector Strategies (MTSS), and the annual budget. Practical examples from Kano and Cross River States were used to demonstrate the gap between budget allocations and actual releases for WASH projects, underscoring the need for evidence-based advocacy.
The training also focused on practical tools for tracking public expenditure and monitoring project implementation. Participants were introduced to the Tracka platform, which enables citizens and organisations to follow government-funded projects and promote transparency. Emphasis was placed on how WASH priorities can be effectively integrated into state MTEF and MTSS documents.
In an interactive group session, participants worked on developing a joint 2026–2028 WASH-MTEF Action Plan, identifying priority actions, responsible actors, and timelines. The exercise was designed to strengthen coordination among stakeholders and translate policy discussions into actionable commitments.
Speaking on the broader impact of the initiative, the organisers highlighted its alignment with the Water Security for Health (WS4H) programme currently being implemented in Makoda Local Government Area and Garun Malam Local Government Area of Kano State. They noted that strengthening budget advocacy and accountability mechanisms is critical to sustaining WASH interventions at the community level.
The organisers called for sustained collaboration between government and civil society to ensure improved financing, effective implementation, and long-term sustainability of WASH projects across the state.
The training concluded with group photographs, marking another step towards promoting transparency, improved service delivery, and community resilience in the WASH sector.
