The minister of budget and economic planning, Abubakar Bagudu, has called on partners to raise awareness among citizens about the importance of participating in government budgetary processes.

Mr Bagudu made the statement during a courtesy visit by members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Support Unit, led by Maureen Kariuki, in Abuja on Wednesday.

He emphasised that the civil society organisations (CSOs) and other development partners play a crucial role in ensuring transparency, accountability, and a better understanding of governance.

The minister, who is the incoming OGP state actors co-chair, noted that President Bola Tinubu was committed to encouraging transparency through various reforms.

“These include the HOPE initiative, reforms in the education and health sectors, forex market adjustments, fuel subsidy changes, and tax system updates to simplify compliance.”

He added that, in a federal democracy like Nigeria, the preparation of the budget placed a significant demand on the legislative body, particularly with constituency prioritisation of projects.

Mr Bagudu stressed the need for citizens to understand why certain projects were prioritised, saying that informed advocacy could help promote better citizen engagement and understanding of government actions.

Ms Kariuki, during the visit, highlighted that OGP performed best when it is coordinated by the ministry.

She encouraged collaboration to strengthen budget transparency and called for greater citizen participation in budgetary processes.

She also expressed hope that the next National Action Plan (2025-2029) would include fiscal transparency and enhanced citizen engagement around budget processes.

The visit was part of the activities marking the Open Governance Week.

(NAN)