Nigeria: Supporting the Government to Catalyze Infrastructure Development

The Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF) programme improves the lives of Nigeria’s poorest people by transforming the way infrastructure is planned, delivered, and managed. UKNIAF catalyzes sustainable infrastructure development at a national level and unlocks the significant infrastructure constraints currently in place which disproportionately affect those in extreme poverty.

UKNIAF is the UK’s flagship technical assistance initiative in Nigeria’s infrastructure space. The project supports Nigerian government counterparts who have requested assistance in delivering reform programmes geared towards providing inclusive economic growth. Specifically, DT Global supports to the Road and Power components of UKNIAF. Support to the Federal Road Network focuses on the implementation of a set of advocacy measures coordinated through appropriate stakeholder engagement. The works includes:

• Deepening engagement with stakeholders to identify all impediments to the full ratification and signing of two Bills for Parliament approval.
• Leading and coordinating other members of the road sector Development Partners Transport Working Group to maximise advocacy of the road sector reforms, including engaging with regional experts from other African countries that have undergone similar legislative reforms.
• Reviewing the current Road Traffic Act and suggesting any amendments.
• Extending and strengthening higher-level political economy engagement at presidential and ministerial levels; this includes winning support for a suitable road management institutional model for the Nigeria context.
• Implementing formal change management processes associated with identifying and addressing resistance to the reforms

We also support the National Mass Metering Programme as part of the UKNIAF power component. The objective is to improve the liquidity of the power sector through eliminating arbitrary billing, fast-tracking closure of the metering gap among Nigeria's electricity consumers, increasing local meter production capacity and improving the availability of electricity consumption data for better market coordination. Additionally, we support the development of the tendering and procurement process, including smart meter specifications and planning for meter roll-out.

UKNIAF's goal is to improve access to inclusive, climate compatible social and economic infrastructure to contribute to the economic growth and human development of Nigeria.