CSOs all over the world including in Nigeria are committed to ensuring that governments prioritize development investment, especially in pro-poor infrastructure and utilities, starting with the needs of the poorest and most marginalized people, ensuring that program success indicators are linked directly with positive impacts.

Besides, Nigeria is one of the most unequal societies in the world (AEO 2010), with a gini coefficient value of 0.49[1] (HDR 2009), which, like the rates of poverty, has also been deteriorating. Approximately 20% of the population owns 65% of the national wealth as stated by UNDP (2009). This inequality exacerbates poverty with over 100million Nigerians living in active poverty and unable to access one good meal per day.

Sustainable Development Goals if well targeted,  implemented and monitored can address the chronic poverty in our society. This will be achieved if civil society organizations position themselves as partners, monitors and evaluators in SDG implementation in Nigeria.

However, it is astounding that many people especially Civil Society practitioners are  not yet attuned with SDGs and its  implications for our country’s development. Nigerian CSOs seem not to understand the letters of SDGs let alone understand their critical role in SDGs implementation. Therefore, the need to build the capacity of CSOs is paramount.

CSCSD is blessed with experienced development actors boasting of over twenty years holding top management positions in various organizations with different but complementary skills in various thematic areas. It is therefore well positioned to organize a national capacity building workshop on SDG implementation in Nigeria. However, training faculty will be drawn from among the government officials, academia, and development partners.

To this end, Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development is organizing a two-day national workshop on Strategizing Stakeholders for SDGs Implementation, Monitoring and Accountability for Results as follows:

Date: November 29 & 30 2016 In Abuja from 9am each day.

If you are passionate about the successful implementation of SDGs in Nigeria and wants to participate in the workshop, kindly express your interest by completing this expression of interest form and return same by email to codnigeria2010@gmail.com copying nkiruceline@hotmail.com on or before close of work on Monday November 14 2016. This is strictly for planning, the Dates are sacrosanct and delays are discouraged. Thank you.

The workshop is set to achieve the following specific objectives:

1.    Promote strategic understanding and implementation of SDGs National Framework and National Social Protection Programme Framework and Monitoring Plan in Nigeria;

2.    Sharpen the participants’ understanding of integrating SDGs and Agenda 2063 in their role as development actors;

3.    Identify the specific role CSOs need to play in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of SDGs in Nigeria;

4.    Provoke discussions on the cross-cutting effect of inequality across the 17 SDGs;

5.    Strengthen CSOs’ capacity and knowledge in goals, targets and indicators in accordance with national realities of SDGs implementation.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have;

1.    Clear understanding of the policies and programming that will enhance understanding, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the goals;

2.    Been well grounded in essentials of SDGs especially the dimensions of development, speak about them and engage the stakeholders in specific areas of SDGs in the interest of the citizens;

3.     Acquired enough skills on how SDGs and Agenda 2063 are integrated for result-oriented work in SDGs monitoring;

4.    Developed a capacity for identifying and using relevant indicators against specific targets of SDGs in their work as SDGs monitors;

5.     Capacity to review policies that speak to SDGs, identify policy gaps, and support governments in achieving SDGs by 2030;

We propose that the workshop, resource persons and facilitators will address the following through their paper presentations:

1.   SDGs Framework and Monitoring Plan; Lessons and Prospect.  OSSAP/SDGs Senior Special Advisor, SDGs in the Presidency;

2.   Investing in our people: National Social Protection Programme Framework and Monitoring Plan by Maryam Uwais, Special Advisor, Social Investments in the Presidency

3.   From MDGs to SDGs: Understanding Global Agenda on Sustainable Development – Tola Winjobi;

4.   Wither Nigeria in Gender Equality & Empowerment of the minority: myths and realities- Lady Nkiru C okoro, Mr. David Anyaele;

5.   “Ensuring no One is Left Behind” mantra – Implications for Stakeholders in Successful Monitoring of  the implementation of SDGs  in Nigeria – Hamisu Kura and Emeka Ononamadu;

6.   Tailoring Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 to National Realities  –  A case for result oriented grassroots SDG implementation in Nigeria Rev. Fr. John Patrick Ngoyi

7.   Positioning civil society’s role for  monitoring and evaluation of SDGs implementation; imperative for a clear strategy  Dr Otive Igbuzor

8.   Making the targets nationally relevant – A case for national indicators Dr. Tola Winjobi

9.   So far, Thus Far, Nigeria’s Preparations for SDG Implementation by (OSSAP SDG ) & Mrs. Maryam Uwais – Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment;

10.               Conditional Cash Transfer Lessons from NAPEP, BOI, MOWASD – Ms. Bisi Mekwuye, Ms. Sylvia; Representatives of FMWASD, BOI, MOF

11.               Where is the money?  – Locating Funding for SDGs – Mr Hilary Ogbonna (UNDP) , OSIWA, USAID, DFID, EU Federal Ministry of Budget & National Planning, National Assembly etc

12.               Myths & Realities of ICT & SDGs- – The place and cost of ICT in SDG implementation & Monitoring.