Nigeria’s development is hampered by a lack of national values, according to Debola Deji-Kurunmi, Executive Director of Ideation Hub Africa. She presented during IHA’s tenth anniversary conference, Envisioning 2025. Deji-Kurunmi explained that due to low operational efficiency, some NGOs with integrity unintentionally mismanage funds, attributing some of the misuse of cash among NGOs to these weak principles. She underlined the necessity of organised preparation in order to avoid financial mismanagement. Giving social entrepreneurs and NGO leaders tools to increase their impact was the goal of the retreat.
With insights on establishing specific objectives and improving efficacy, participants in the assessment covered the 10 pillars necessary for a strong NGO. Participant Ugochi Obidigewu commended the retreat for being enlightening and inspiring. In Nigeria, weak national values are evident in a number of areas outside of NGOs, most notably in societal norms and official institutions. For example, the Nigerian police force has long been seen as one of the most dishonest organisations in the nation. According to reports, officers frequently seek money from civilians for routine checks or basic services, frequently engaging in extortion.
Environmental damage in the Niger reflects lack of national values.
A Culture of impunity is maintained and public trust is weakened by this deterioration of ethical standards. The Almajiri Educational System in Northern Nigeria is a prime example of how vulnerable groups can suffer from a lack of national ideals. Under this system, young children—known as Almajirai—are sent to far-off places to learn from Islamic instructors. Many people are pushed into street begging and denied access to basic benefits and Education because of a lack of support, which feeds the cycles of Poverty and social exclusion.
Degradation of the environment in the Niger Delta serves yet another example of what happens when national values are compromised. Due to oil extraction activities, the area has seen significant pollution, which has caused local residents to lose their means of subsistence and face health risks. The lack of accountability and successful repair initiatives, which represent systemic governance problems, is evident despite the obvious environmental damage. The 20–30% percentage that was cited regarding financial mismanagement in NGOs should be taken into consideration because it shows that operational inefficiencies, rather than intentional misbehaviour, account for a substantial part of mismanagement cases.
NOA has addressed weak national values concerns.
This implies that although there is deliberate corruption, many NGOs unintentionally mismanage funds as a result of poor financial management and planning. Using capacity-building programs to address these inefficiencies could significantly lower the number of fund misappropriation cases. With the goal of fostering equality, democracy, entrepreneurship, peace, inclusion, freedom, and meritocracy, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has been actively promoting the “National Values Charter,” which is embodied in the “7 For 7” reciprocal promises between the government and citizens. By rebranding its message on the National Values Charter, the NOA has addressed weak national values concerns by highlighting the importance of citizens cultivating values that are in line with national development goals.
The significance of a team effort in maintaining and advancing fundamental principles that can propel social advancement and unity is highlighted by this endeavour. Several steps can be taken to improve NGO accountability and fortify national values. Integrating civic education and ethics into school curricula will help educational reformers foster a feeling of duty and Patriotism in children from a young age. By creating independent monitoring organisations to keep an eye on and enforce moral principles throughout public organisations, institutional accountability will make sure that unethical behaviour is quickly detected and dealt with.
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To improve NGOs’ operational effectiveness and accountability, NGO Capacity Building will offer training courses in financial management, strategic planning, and open reporting. By encouraging local communities to actively participate in government processes, Community Engagement will promote an open and accountable culture. By ensuring that infractions are dealt with appropriately to discourage unethical behaviour, policy enforcement would strengthen the application of current laws against Corruption and poor management. Nigeria can endeavour to develop strong national values and enhance the efficacy and integrity of its official institutions and non-governmental organisations by tackling these issues.