MEASURE Evaluation in Nigeria

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MEASURE Evaluation has been working in Nigeria since early 2000. In addition to Kola Oyediran, the in-country team includes M&E Resident Advisors Samson Bamidele and Dr. Dayo Adeyemi, OVC M&E Resident Advisor Dr. Yinka Falola-Anoemuah, and Administrative and Finance Officer Nafisah Koguna. “Nigeria is unique in MEASURE Evaluation’s portfolio as Nigeria has such diverse activities,” said Stephanie Mullen, MEASURE Evaluation’s Country Focal Person for Nigeria. “We work in a lot of different health areas with several ministries and a variety of partners.”

Strengthening Information Systems and M&E Capacity

Building capacity within Nigeria to carry out monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities is a critical step to improving the country’s health system.

In 2004, MEASURE Evaluation helped the Nigerian government develop and implement the Nigerian National Response Information Management System (NNRIMS), a routine HIV/AIDS information system.  In 2009, it collaborated with the National Agency for AIDS Control (NACA) to conduct an assessment of the system. “Data from the NNRIMS has helped government institutions and stakeholders in reporting and making informed decisions,” said Oyediran. “As a result of our technical assistance, NACA and NASCP as well as a few sub-national states are able to generate reliable, timely and accurate information to improve the coordination of HIV/AIDS activities in their states where, previously, no HIV-related reports were being generated.”

In 2010, MEASURE Evaluation expanded its capacity-building efforts by collaborating with two Nigerian universities, Obafemi Awolowo University, in the southern city of Ile-Ife, and Ahmadu Bello University in the northern city of Zaria. Four years earlier, in 2006, MEASURE Evaluation began conducting short-term M&E training courses in Nigeria, knowing that it wanted to eventually build capacity of local institutions to take over the trainings.

Orphans and Vulnerable Children

MEASURE Evaluation has two dedicated OVC M&E advisors in Nigeria, and a dedicated data demand and use (DDU) advisor. Under the OVC portfolio, MEASURE Evaluation provides technical assistance to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMWASD) to collect and use OVC information in decision making, and to develop a functional M&E system for the national OVC response. Technical assistance has been provided to the FMWASD to conduct the National Situation Analysis and Assessment (SAA) of OVC in Nigeria. The project conducted secondary analyses of the OVC SAA dataset to address stakeholders’ priority information gaps and to inform commitments for the new National Plan of Action for OVC (2012–2016).

MEASURE Evaluation played a critical role in the development of the original National Plan of Action for OVC, collaborating closely with the FMWASD, USG, UNICEF, the National Technical Coordinating Group on OVC, and others to agree on strategic objectives and indicators. MEASURE Evaluation is now coordinating revisions for the revised new National Plan of Action for OVC (2012–2016).

MEASURE Evaluation supported the FMWASD to develop an OVC M&E Plan based on the OVC National Plan of Action. The M&E Plan was developed in a collaborative manner with OVC stakeholders and service providers, including UNICEF, PEPFAR OVC implementing partners, government officers at federal, state and local levels, led by the M&E Technical Working Group of the National Technical Coordinating Group on OVC in Nigeria. This participatory process ensured harmonization of indicators, data collection and reporting tools, and a reporting schedule. MEASURE Evaluation took the lead role in building the capacity of partners to implement the M&E Plan, and is currently leading a review of the M&E Plan to incorporate lessons learned in the pilot implementation, and to ensure alignment to the new National Plan of Action for OVC (2012–2016).

The M&E Plan has led to a more coordinated OVC response in Nigeria. Key national tools such as the Child Status Index, and the Child Vulnerability Index, have allowed for rapid identification of children in need of urgent care and support, with harmonized monitoring tools allowing for review of outputs toward national and PEPFAR goals. MEASURE Evaluation continues to provide technical assistance to the M&E subcommittee of the National Technical Coordinating Group to ensure proper implementation of the National Plan of Action, including co-facilitating quarterly meetings, reviewing quarterly reports, and updating the subcommittee on best practices in M&E.

MEASURE Evaluation also conducts regular trainings on the CSI for implementing partners, and has built stakeholder consensus on a Nigerian adaptation of the CSI. Currently, MEASURE Evaluation is piloting CSI adaptations/translations in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Pidgin English with local community-based organizations. MEASURE Evaluation is also providing evaluation support to Nigerian and international OVC implementing partners to foster global understanding of what works to improve the well-being of OVC. MEASURE Evaluation is currently developing a set of global OVC program outcome evaluation tools, and will pilot these tools in Nigeria in two regional evaluations with support from the USAID Mission.

Health Education

MEASURE Evaluation has continued to assist Nigeria’s Community Partnership for Action in the Social Sectors (COMPASS) project, which seeks to improve health education of the country’s women and children. The project intends to integrate reproductive and child health education and primary school education interventions in 51 local government areas in the states of Bauchi, Kano, Lagos and Nasarawa, as well as the Federal Capital Territory. These areas have high infant and child mortality rates and low levels of primary schooling, especially for girls. 

MEASURE Evaluation began collaborating with the Center for Research Evaluation and Resource Development to implement baseline and midline surveys to evaluate the COMPASS project. Later MEASURE Evaluation assisted with an endline survey, which included a large-scale household survey and surveys of health facilities and public and private primary schools in the five states. Results from the endline survey were compared to results from the previous surveys to document changes in indicators in order to measure the project’s impact.

Malaria Post-Bednet Study

In May and June 2009, the Malaria Consortium distributed more than 4 million long-lasting insecticidal-treated nets (LLINs) in Kano State to pilot the free net distribution recommended by the Nigeria National Malaria Control Program and the Roll Back Malaria initiative. The ultimate goal is universal coverage—one net for two people—in Nigeria by 2015. 

In order to assess the campaign strategy to achieve this goal, MEASURE Evaluation partnered with USAID/Nigeria and Support to Nigeria Malaria Program and Research Marketing Services to conduct a comprehensive post-campaign household survey in Kano State. “The survey found that, generally, the campaign was effective in increasing bednet coverage,” Oyediran said. “However, better distribution and more education through a greater variety of outreach methods is needed.”

Working at the State Level

So far, MEASURE Evaluation has been working primarily at the national level. Recently, though, it began focusing on the state level in three states—Kano, Lagos and Anambra. Each of these states will have its own advisor sitting in the State Agency for the Control of AIDS and work collaboratively with the State Ministry of Health to improve the state health information system especially in HIV and AIDS.