ActionAid Nigeria Marks 25 Years of Humanitarian Interventions

Funmi Ogundare

ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) is celebrating 25 years of its work in the country, to reflect on  its achievements in addressing critical  social challenges and charting a path for the next quarter-century.

The anniversary programme, which held Tuesday, saw the participation of Arthur Larok, Secretary General of ActionAid  International, alongside other dignitaries.

Since its establishment in 2000, coinciding with Nigeria’s return to democratic governance, ActionAid Nigeria has focused on tackling systemic issues such as poverty, inequality, corruption and poor governance through collective action, sustainable practices and political engagement.

Over the years, the organisation has achievednotable improvements in healthcare, education, sustainable agriculture, and inclusive governance.

In his remarks, AAN’s Director of Business Development and Innovation, Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, explained that the milestone is an opportunity to celebrate past successes, while renewing commitment to achieving future objectives.

“Marking 25 years of salvaging humanity is worthy of acknowledgement,” she said.

Although ActionAid International is 53 years old, its Nigerian operations began in 2000

under the leadership of pioneer Country Director Charles Abani, a seasoned practitioner with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).

Under his stewardship, the organisation grew

its initial £500 seed fund to over £4 million by 2004, supported by institutional donors  including the European Union (EU), DFID, USAID, andthe World Bank.

Ilochi-Kanny noted that the organisation has since developed a robust presence in the country, forming strategic coalitions such as the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) and the Civil Society Consultative Group on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSGHAN).

“Our interventions have spanned education, health, agriculture, commerce and human rights, producing projects such as CLEAP JUSTICE, which established the Independent Judicial Accountability Panel (IJAP), and the Women’s Voices and Leadership (WVL) project.

Other notable initiatives include SCRAP-C,  STAR Circles, Poor Education Plus, Family Life and HIV Education, and the Commonwealth Education Fund,” she stated.

To mark the milestone and outline its future plans, the organisation scheduled a series of activities this week including celebrating staff collective achievements and discussing strategic goals for the next 25 years; a vision for the organisation at 50 years as a wealth-creation-focused entity.

The organisation, supported by Secretary General Arthur Larok, also visited a community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to interact with beneficiaries of its interventions.

Later in the week, ActionAid Nigeria will honour long-standing partners for their contributions to its mission.

Ms. Ilochi-Kanny described the anniversary as “not just a celebration of the past, but a reaffirmation of our commitment to advancing humanitarian interventions in Nigeria and beyond”.