THE Federal Government, through the World Bank-supported HOPE Governance Programme, has approved the disbursement of $27 million in performance-based grants to states that met key governance and budgeting targets under the initiative.
News Point Nigeria reports that the approval was announced by the National Coordinator of the HOPE Governance Programme, Assad Hassan, during a retreat for commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors of budget and planning from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Hassan said the disbursement followed the recommendations of the programme’s Interim Independent Verification Agent (IVA), which assessed states’ performance against the Year-Zero Disbursement-Linked Results (DLRs).
According to him, Bayelsa, Borno, Kano, Kebbi and Yobe states qualified for $1.5 million each under the disbursement-linked results for adopting comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting consolidated work plans for basic education and primary healthcare budgets.
“Bayelsa, Borno, Kano, Kebbi and Yobe states qualified for $1.5 million each under the disbursement-linked results for adopting comprehensive guidelines for preparing and submitting consolidated work plans for basic education and primary healthcare budgets,” Hassan said.
The national coordinator further disclosed that Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Gombe, Kano, Plateau, Taraba and Yobe qualified for $500,000 each after adopting harmonised budget guidelines and a chart of accounts for local governments.
He added that Abia, Bayelsa, Borno, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ondo, Plateau and Yobe would also receive $500,000 each for publishing their 2025 citizens’ budgets for basic education and primary healthcare.
Hassan explained that states which failed to qualify either published the required documents after the March 31, 2025 deadline, did not satisfy the stipulated assessment criteria, or failed to publish the required documents on their official websites.
He also disclosed that the Interim Independent Verification Agent is expected to complete the second phase of the Year-Zero verification exercise by July 2026.
The HOPE Governance Programme is a $500 million World Bank-supported initiative aimed at strengthening financing, transparency and accountability in the delivery of basic education and primary healthcare services across Nigeria.
