The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to using evidence-based planning and data-driven decision-making to strengthen national development and improve the impact of public investments across the country.
The commitment was restated by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning during a two-day validation workshop in Abuja on the evaluation of Federal Government capital projects and programmes implemented by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the South-East and South-West between 2021 and 2023.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, represented by the Director of the Food and Nutrition Department, Mrs. Clementine Okoro, said the evaluation is a significant step toward improving public sector performance and ensuring government projects deliver measurable benefits to Nigerians.
According to the Director of Information & Public Relations, Julie Osagie Jacobs, in a statement on Thursday, she noted that the exercise comes at a critical period as the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025 has been concluded while the NDP 2026–2030 is nearing completion.
According to her, the evaluation findings will provide credible evidence to guide policy formulation, enhance project implementation, strengthen accountability, and support the effective execution of Nigeria's long-term development agenda.
"The evaluation findings are not merely an assessment of past performance; they are a roadmap for reform, learning and continuous improvement. They will strengthen the implementation of the National Development Plan 2026–2030 and ensure that public investments achieve greater impact," she said.
In her welcome address, the Director of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Mrs. Olasunbo Ayinde-Yakub, described the validation workshop as an important phase of the evaluation process, saying it offers stakeholders an opportunity to review findings, enrich the evidence base, and ensure that the recommendations are practical and implementable.
She explained that the independent assessment examined selected Federal Government capital projects across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones using internationally recognised evaluation criteria, including relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and coherence.
According to her, the evaluation was designed to determine the extent to which the projects contributed to infrastructure development, economic diversification, human capital development, and improved public service delivery.
Presenting the regional reports, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Vessels of Gold and Silver Nigeria Limited, Mr. Atta Yakubu, reviewed the findings for the South-East, while the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kadel Infra Global Services Limited, Mr. Kayode Olugbenga, presented the South-West report. Both highlighted key achievements, implementation challenges, and recommendations for improving project delivery.
The workshop brought together representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, consultants, and other stakeholders to validate the reports ahead of their final adoption, underscoring the Federal Government's commitment to results-based governance and sustainable national development.