Implementing the PAWS model of capacity building in Nigeria

Capacity building is a key development intervention offered to developing countries. However, having capacity building as the only intervention offered by a programme, without any infrastructure component, is a rare approach and quite challenging. Partners for Water and Sanitation (PAWS) is one of few programmes that has taken the less attractive “capacity building only” approach towards intervention in the water and sanitation sector in Africa, and the challenges and lessons from the programme in Nigeria are remarkable. Nigeria has enormous human, natural and financial resources, but harnessing them to help meet development targets, especially for water and sanitation services, has been mostly unsuccessful. Nigeria still ranks among the top 10 waterpoor countries and is far offtrack to meeting the MDG targets for water and sanitation (JMP, 2008). PAWS’ support in Nigeria is focused on the water supply and sanitation sector reform programme at 3 tiers of government (Federal, State, Local), through a strategic partnership approach to implementation, which is responsible for the achievements recorded to date.