UNICEF has inaugurated a capacity-building workshop for ministries, departments, and agencies in Kaduna to enhance programme-based budgeting.

The initiative aims to strengthen accountability and ensure that budgets are tied to measurable results.

Wakidara-Mavis Akila, social policy officer at the UNICEF Kaduna field office, disclosed this on Tuesday in Zaria.

According to Ms Akila, the workshop is designed to equip MDAs with the skills necessary to develop their medium-term sector strategy ahead of the state’s 2026 fiscal year budget.

She noted that the training sought to shift Kaduna away from traditional budgeting practices that often allocated funds without clearly linking them to specific projects or measurable outcomes.

“For example, a budget may simply say ‘renovate hospitals’ without indicating which hospitals or what the expected outcomes are. With programme-based budgeting, we want budgets to be results-oriented, specific, and measurable,” Ms Akila explained.

She added that UNICEF was using the training to advocate for increased child-focused investments, given the multidimensional nature of child poverty.

“Key sectors identified as priorities include health, education, water and sanitation, and social protection, areas that directly impact children’s well-being,” Ms Akila said.

Ms Akila further highlighted UNICEF’s adoption of the principle of progressive realisation in social protection, starting with the most urgent needs and expanding coverage over time.

“The ultimate goal of the workshop is to ensure tangible improvements in development indicators, particularly in meeting the basic needs of children and vulnerable groups,” she said.

In his remarks, Mukhtar Abdullahi, permanent secretary of the planning and budget commission, Kaduna State, lauded UNICEF for its timely intervention, describing it as critical to ongoing preparations for the 2026 budget.

“We want our next budget to be realistic and programme-based, with allocations aligned to the state’s available resources,” Mr Abdullahi stated.

He added that about 20 implementing agencies were participating in the training, with the aim of translating the state development plan into actionable sector implementation plans.

Also speaking at the event, Chibueze Nwonye, a public financial management consultant, said UNICEF’s support was helping Kaduna State make its budgeting process more realistic and reliable.

The five-day workshop is titled ‘2026–2028 Sector Implementation Plan and Programme-Based Budgeting Workshop’.

(NAN)