Kaduna State Government has trained journalists on the use of the Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) disclosure portal to promote transparency, accountability, and effective reporting in infrastructure procurement and service delivery.
The training, held Thursday in Kaduna, was organised by the Kaduna Public Procurement Authority (KADPPA) in collaboration with the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative (CoST). It aimed to deepen collaboration between the government, civil society, private sector, and the media, in line with the state’s broader open governance drive.
Commissioner for Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mukhtar Ahmed, represented by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Bashir Ladan, said the media remained a strategic partner in co-creating sustainable reforms.
He noted that Kaduna was the first subnational in Nigeria to adopt CoST and has continued to set the pace in infrastructure transparency.
“The CoST initiative institutionalises transparency through its four pillars, multi-stakeholder working, disclosure, assurance, and social accountability. The media plays a central role in this ecosystem,” he said.
He added that the newly launched portal described as the first of its kind in Nigeria is equipped with artificial intelligence tools, climate-responsive data points, and accessibility features for persons with disabilities, including the visually impaired.
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According to Ladan, the training aimed to equip journalists with the skills to navigate and report from the portal accurately, thereby strengthening citizen participation and oversight in public projects. “This is about building a culture of transparency that directly improves service delivery,” he said.
Director at KADPPA, Engr. Suleiman Abba, said the portal was tailored to water and infrastructure projects, in line with OCDS principles. “We are empowering journalists to access real-time procurement data and report in a consistent, accurate manner that can build public trust,” he stated.
CoST Programme Manager, Mr. Tara Jeremiah Wyah, said Kaduna’s adoption of the UK-based global initiative is a significant milestone in its quest for good governance. He noted that infrastructure challenges in the state — including poor quality delivery, delayed payments, and weak data systems — made the CoST model timely and essential.
“The partnership is already showing promise. With input from key ministries, civil society groups like LANW and FollowTaxes, and business groups like KADCCIMA, Kaduna is building a culture of accountability,” Wyah said. He also noted that the Infrastructure Transparency Index, one of CoST’s tools, will help measure Kaduna’s progress in infrastructure governance.
The open contracting portal, accessible via www.ipdata.kdsg.gov.ng, is expected to significantly improve value for money, rebuild trust among stakeholders, and boost economic development through smarter public investment.
