Abuja: Oxfam in Nigeria has marked the close-out of its five-year Power of Voices, Fair for All (F4A), and African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) programmes in Nigeria. Oxfam Country Director, John Makina, described the programmes as ‘a journey of courage, partnership and transformation,’ emphasizing the role of equipped communities in governance, climate justice, and economic accountability.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiatives demonstrated the power of communities to ‘speak, act and lead.’ Makina highlighted the programmes’ achievements, including the cultivation of 15,500 seedlings and distribution of 3,500 clean cooking stoves in Bauchi State. These efforts aimed to reduce emissions and improve health. He noted that 256 community volunteers, including persons with disabilities, were trained in nature-based solutions like briquette production.
Oxfam also supported the development of new climate laws, unlocked 15.5 billion in local climate financing, and expanded climate-smart livelihoods such as beekeeping and tree planting. Women beneficiaries reportedly earned between 150,000 and 300,000 through climate-friendly enterprises. The programmes reached more than 10 million Nigerians via ‘Follow the Money’ media platforms, and civic participation was strengthened through various initiatives.
Makina expressed appreciation for partners like Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Connected Development (CODE), and BudgIT Foundation. He also commended the Government of The Netherlands for funding the project. CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Rafsanjani, noted that the programmes led to transformative reforms and community-led impacts, strengthening tax justice campaigns and boosting transparency in the extractive sector.
Rafsanjani stressed the importance of sustaining the programmes’ gains despite the end of donor funding. The Programme Manager of Oxfam, Henry Ushie, highlighted the project’s role in building regulatory frameworks that empowered communities to demand accountability and transparency. The event concluded with the launch of a documentary and magazine documenting the project’s milestones.