…As Steward Awards unveiled

A new governance accountability initiative, the Steward Awards, has been unveiled with the launch of a national assessment portal aimed at tracking and verifying the performance of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
Speaking at a world press briefing to mark the official start of the assessment cycle, Programme Director, Godfrey Egbuokporo, said the initiative comes at a time when local government financial autonomy is set to redirect significant public funds directly to grassroots administrations.
He noted that the shift demands a stronger accountability framework to ensure that public resources translate into tangible development.
“The actualisation of local government financial autonomy means that trillions of naira will now flow directly to the 774 LGAs. To ensure this wealth translates into verifiable infrastructure rather than political rhetoric, a new institutional standard of accountability is required,” he said.
Egbuokporo described the Steward Awards as an independent and non-partisan system designed to measure, verify and publicly report the performance of local government chairmen and Ministries, Departments and Agencies. According to him, the initiative seeks to replace what he called a “pay-to-play” award culture with a data-driven model grounded in evidence.
Central to the initiative is the newly launched digital portal, which will allow citizens and civil society groups to track performance metrics and submit evidence of projects executed in their communities. The system, he explained, will rely on technology to store, analyse and distribute governance data.
He added that plans are underway to develop an open data interface in the coming years, enabling broader access to governance information.
The programme will also deploy “Steward Scouts” across the country from June 2026 to conduct physical verification of projects. These field teams are expected to provide on-the-ground evidence to support reported achievements by local government officials.
To strengthen credibility, the initiative has established a multi-layered structure, including a central working committee, an independent jury, an advisory board and a verification team. Nigerian businessman, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, has been named Chairman of the Board of Trustees, alongside members such as Alabi Williams and former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Leye Oyebade.
Egbuokporo said the project would begin with a pilot phase in Lagos State, citing its economic significance, population size and scale of federal allocations. The pilot is expected to guide a phased national rollout, with expansion to additional states planned for 2027 and full national coverage targeted for 2028.
Director of Government Relations, Eva James, said participation by local government chairmen would be based on transparency and voluntary engagement, with emphasis on showcasing measurable impact rather than political claims.
She explained that the nomination process would be decentralised, allowing citizens to submit evidence and vote, while independent field teams conduct community-based verification.
“This is about recognising real impact. It is not enough to execute projects; the projects must reflect the needs of the people and improve their lives,” she said.
James added that the initiative would engage local government leaders through formal communication and direct consultations to secure their participation. She stressed that the awards are not monetised and will not require payment from participants.
Head of Media, Bolaji Fesomade, said the initiative addresses a long-standing gap in public accountability at the grassroots level.
“Over the years, attention has focused on states and federal constituencies, but there has been limited visibility at the local government level. Many citizens do not know what their local government chairmen are doing,” he said.
He noted that the Steward Awards would bring such activities into public view by assessing how allocations are utilised and publishing verified reports on performance.
On funding, Fesomade said the project is currently self-financed, with plans to secure support through partnerships, grants and sponsorships from organisations with shared interests in governance and development.
The Steward Awards event is scheduled to hold on December 5, 2026. It will feature a governance forum with policy discussions and stakeholder engagement, followed by an award ceremony recognising outstanding public service performance.