Strategic objective 3

WaterAid Nigeria will strengthen the effectiveness of key sector agencies by investing in planning, capacity building, institutional development, change management and learning.

Inadequate institutional capacity in the sector is a recurring theme running through the analysis of sector obstacles. This undermines effectiveness and efficiency of key sector agencies. It also compounds the underlying causes of low water and sanitation coverage and creates confusion in the sector. Through strategic investments in the capacity of WaterAid and her partners, the foundations of sector transformation will be built and organisational effectiveness and efficiency will be increased.

WaterAid Nigeria and partners have made real progress from a project-centred organisation to a fully fledged country programme where structures, systems and procedures for planning, implementation and management have been put in place and adequate staffing requirements have been met. Before any further expansion can be made, we will consolidate these achievements.

To increase our cost effectiveness, We will retain those core activities where real added value can be demonstrated, and will emphasise information flow. At the same time, WaterAid Nigeria will strengthen and broaden its standards of accountability in terms of value for money and transparency.

WaterAid Nigeria will promote staffing policies which aim to retain the best staff through investment in skills development and maintaining competitive conditions of employment. WaterAid Nigeria will improve access to information and communication technology.

Specific Objective 3.1: WaterAid Nigeria will develop a multiyear resource allocation model, accountability and responsibility management, and Master Plan of Operations. Defining WaterAid Nigeria's business strategy requires a systematic, step-by-step strategic decision-making process, which takes an in-depth look at our current strategic position at national and regional levels. This process will provide practical tools to clarify, strengthen, and articulate WaterAid's comparative advantage and to renew WaterAid Nigeria's mission. A Master Plan of Operation will be developed to steer the implementation of this country strategy with a five-year rolling plan. A Mid Term Review will be conducted in 2008 to assess progress, relevance and cogency of the strategy. Thereafter a country programme evaluation will be conducted toward the development of the next strategy.

Specific Objective 3.2: WaterAid Nigeria and its partners will develop a comprehensive framework for capacity building. Partnership development and capacity building underlie all of WaterAid's work. Sector agencies need to possess appropriate skills and adequate resources to be able to manage poverty-focused, integrated and sustainable interventions. WaterAid will promote a new partnership framework that builds and reinforces networks between water and sanitation NGOs, local governments and private sector agencies. WaterAid Nigeria will also facilitate skills and resource acquisition for these partners.

Specific Objective 3.3: WaterAid Nigeria will seek to maximise learning from both its own work with partners and that of others. WaterAid Nigeria is a learning organisation and our learning capability plan which will continue to be implemented through Quality Improvement and Learning Teams that promote internal and external learning for more effective programme and service delivery. Learning will be focused on areas of best practice and advocacy.

Specific Objective 3.4: WaterAid Nigeria will promote cost effective and decentralised programme management and support systems. WaterAid Nigeria will reduce the dependence on the centre and encourage mutual support and co-operation between state, local authorities and partners. We will also encourage networking between partners for information sharing and learning. 

Specific Objective 3.5: WaterAid Nigeria will maintain effective systems and procedures to support programme staff and partner organisations and build their financial management capacities. We will increase our investment in human resources development and systems. Development plans will contribute both to the organisation goals and the professional growth of employees.