Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD

The author contends that Nigeria's implementation of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has been marred by government manipulation, poor planning around election cycles, and the exclusion of independent civil society. The paper suggests that the transition to President Yar’adua's administration provides an opportunity to restore the process's credibility by removing government control over the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) and the Programme of Action (PoA).

• The Nigerian APRM process has been criticized for lacking transparency and rigour, leading some civil society organisations and technical agencies, such as the African Leadership Institute, to withdraw due to alleged government manipulation.
• Nigeria failed to properly plan the APRM timeline relative to its political calendar, signing a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2004 but failing to complete the self-assessment before the April 2007 elections.
• The governance of the APRM in Nigeria was structured to maximize government influence, with the National Working Committee (NWC) reporting to a Focal Point based in the President's office and led by a close confidant of former President Obasanjo.
• Civil society participation in the drafting and validation of the Country Self-Assessment Report (CSAR) was limited, with some organisations being excluded or boycotting the process, and the full draft text not being circulated.
• The author suggests that a delay in the process is preferable to a rushed one, recommending that the editing of the CSAR be removed from government control and that the Programme of Action (PoA) be expanded to include a broader range of civil society contributions.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD. https://saiia.org.za/research/nigeria-yaradua-must-rekindle-nepad/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/research/nigeria-yaradua-must-rekindle-nepad/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD |date=29 April 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/nigeria-yaradua-must-rekindle-nepad/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008nigeria, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Nigeria: Yar’adua must rekindle NEPAD}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/nigeria-yaradua-must-rekindle-nepad/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }