The Institute of Governance and Development Studies at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), commenced a significant four-week capacity-building workshop on Monday, July 14, 2025. Held at the university’s Assembly Hall, the event is designed to promote good governance and foster institutional resilience across Nigeria.
The workshop, themed “Sustainable Adaptive Social Protection,” is focusing on critical areas essential for effective social safety nets. These include rapid identification and enrollment of affected populations, targeting verification and digital payment systems, agency coordination and communication, monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), accountability, and grievance redress mechanisms.
In her address, the Vice-Chancellor of NSUK Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman (Fellow, UNESCO; ACLS; FIIFP), expressed profound appreciation to the university’s development partners for their unwavering support in strengthening institutional capacities nationwide. She also commended the facilitators and the local organizing committee for their dedication to ensuring the program’s success.
Professor Liman underscored the workshop’s timely relevance, noting its emphasis on the responsibilities of institutions, governments, and stakeholders to safeguard vulnerable populations. She highlighted the urgent need for robust systems that are responsive to evolving risks and realities. “Nasarawa State University, under my leadership, remains steadfast in our commitment to academic excellence, research relevance, institutional inclusivity, and societal impact,” she affirmed. “As a knowledge hub, we are a natural partner in advancing solutions around adaptive social protection and sustainable development for the benefit of humanity.”
The outgoing Director of the Institute of Governance and Development Studies, Professor Andrew Zamani extended his gratitude to Vice-Chancellor Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman for her unwavering support, as well as to all facilitators and committee members for their invaluable contributions. In his remarks presented by the new Director of the Institute, Professor Terhemba Shija explained that the workshop was carefully designed to bring together professionals from diverse fields, including monitoring and evaluation, MIS administration, accounting, gender, and communication, to engage in cross-cutting dialogue and shared learning.
Professor Shija in emphasizing the timeliness and critical significance of the workshop stated that “As the world grapples with climate vulnerability, poverty, displacement, and social inequality, collective efforts are needed to build institutional knowledge, strengthen capacities, and develop innovative tools and strategies for inclusive and sustainable social protection systems that leave no one behind,” he stated.
In her welcome address, Dr. Comfort A. Adokwe, the workshop coordinator, highlighted the complex challenges Nigeria faces, ranging from poverty, inequality, climate change, and economic shocks. She stressed the imperative for fresh thinking, robust systems, and collaborative approaches to effectively protect vulnerable populations. She encouraged participants to actively engage in the sessions, hands-on activities, and knowledge-sharing opportunities, which are meticulously designed to enhance their technical skills and inspire innovative solutions.
In his special goodwill message the National Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office, Abuja, Abubakar Al-Hassan Imam, who was represented at the opening ceremony commended the Institute and the organizing committee for their professionalism and dedication. He urged participants to seize this valuable opportunity to learn, network, and return to their respective states equipped to drive transformative change. Alhaji Imam reaffirmed his office’s unwavering commitment to working collaboratively with all partners to promote inclusive, accountable, and sustainable social protection systems.
The workshop was formally declared open by the Registrar of the university Dr. Bala Isyaka Ahmed II.
The workshop is set to run for four weeks, promising to significantly enhance the capacity for sustainable adaptive social protection across Nigeria.
Information and Protocol Unit, 2025.