From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Kaduna State Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday signed the Kaduna Mutual Accountability Framework (KaMAF).
This fresh partnership is designed to strengthen collaboration and improve accountability in the state’s development programmes.
The agreement was formalised on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at the Nigeria Mission in New York.
Officials said the framework provided a non-binding platform for dialogue, priority alignment and measurable commitments.
It is not legally enforceable and does not impose financial obligations, but is intended to guide cooperation in ways that ensure citizens benefit directly from development interventions.
KaMAF builds on Kaduna State’s earlier International Development Cooperation Framework of 2017 to 2020 and introduces new mechanisms for strategic dialogue, citizen-centered monitoring and evidence-based reporting.
Chief Press Secretary to Kaduna State Governor, Ibraheem Musa, said the framework would run for an initial two-year period from 2025 to 2026, with regular strategic dialogues and a joint steering committee set up to track progress, resolve challenges and guarantee sustainability.
Speaking at the signing, Governor Uba Sani described the framework as a bold step in Kaduna’s push for inclusive development.
To him, the state was committed to moving from promises to delivery by aligning projects with citizens’ needs while ensuring accountability and transparency.
“The KaMAF represents a bold shift from promises to delivery.
“By ensuring accountability, transparency and alignment with the priorities of our citizens, Kaduna is working toward building a more inclusive, resilient and prosperous future.
“We are proud to partner with the Gates Foundation to drive real, measurable change that improves lives across our state,” he said.
Gates Foundation Country Director for Nigeria, Uche Amaonwu, reaffirmed the Foundation’s support for Kaduna State.
He said the partnership was anchored on a shared vision of inclusive, accountable and data-driven development.
“Our work in Kaduna is grounded in a shared vision for inclusive, accountable and data-driven development.
“We are not just investing in systems; we are investing in people, in communities, and in the institutions that support sustainable change.
“The Foundation stands ready to support Kaduna in strengthening primary health care, improving access to economic opportunities and ensuring that every naira spent delivers real impact,” he stressed.
The framework could become a model for donor-government partnerships in Nigeria, particularly in promoting accountability and ensuring that citizens remain at the center of development planning, if the two parties play their role effectively.
