Accountability Lab

In Delta State’s Utagba Ogbe community, Stephen Okunima and Accountability Lab Nigeria’s Civic Action Teams (CivActs) are leading efforts to ensure community representation and development. Through CivActs training, Stephen and his community gained valuable insights into the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Host Community Development Trust Fund (HCDTF), enabling them to advocate for their rightful benefits from Nigerian Agip Oil. Before their intervention, the community was hesitant to embrace the HCDTF, fearing it would undermine existing benefits under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU). Through Stephen’s leadership and community engagement, concerns were addressed, and the community gained a clear understanding of the HCDTF’s potential. As a result, Nigerian Agip Oil established the Trust and inaugurated a Board of Trustees, ensuring that the community had a voice in the decision-making process. ?? Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3Nh4hgu A project of Accountability Lab Nigeria in partnership with Luminate and the Ford Foundation. #CivActs #CommunityAdvocacy #AccountabilityLab #Nigeria #Transparency

#IntegrityIcon #Nigeria well underway- and more popular than ever! 2,500+ nominations continues to indicate to me that wherever you look there are public servants of #integrity trying (often against all the odds) to serve citizens and make governance work- hurrah! #naija #corruption #transparency #opengov

In Rivers State’s Egi community, Precious Ibegwura and Accountability Lab Nigeria’s Civic Action Teams (CivActs) are driving change. Through CivActs training, Precious and her community gained critical tools, including knowledge of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, to advocate for their rights and demand transparency from TotalEnergies. Prior to their efforts, TotalEnergies had failed to consult the community on the appointment of the Board of Trustees for the Host Community Development Trust Fund (HCDTF), breaching regulatory provisions. Through the formation of a Community Justice Team (CJT), peaceful protests, and outreach to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the community held the company accountable. As a result, TotalEnergies complied by ensuring that the appointed BOT members were nominated and approved by the Egi community, and initiated “peace talks” to facilitate mutual understanding and improve the development process. ?? Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/3zuZnJt A project of Accountability Lab Nigeria in partnership with Luminate and the Ford Foundation. #CivActs #CommunityAdvocacy #AccountabilityLab #Nigeria #Transparency

After carefully reviewing 2,549 nominations, Accountability Lab Nigeria is excited to unveil the 2024 top 5 Integrity lcons from the #IntegrityIconNG campaign across #education, #procurement, #health and #security sectors. In #Nigeria, where trust in the public sector has often been diminished, these #public servants are lighting the way- exemplifying #integrity and going above and beyond in their duty to serve the public. In partnership with the MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation and Luminate, we will #NameandFame them as part of our mission to celebrate responsible leadership and inspire public servants across #Nigeria. Let’s amplify stories like these 5 #IntegrityIcon to show that integrity is not just possible; it’s essential. Are you based in Abuja and would you like to be at this event? See the attached flyer for more details. Watch our full documentary videos here - https://lnkd.in/dhEzMx-H

A crucial discussion on #disinformation in Mali I had the honour and pleasure of being invited to share my thoughts in the first episode of the Afropolitan podcast, created by Catherine Nzuki and produced by the prestigious think tank CSIS Africa.? In this 40-minute episode, we discussed an increasingly urgent challenge in our societies, particularly in Mali: the spread of #disinformation, especially on social media, in fragile contexts. "For a long time, information was reserved for an elite that understood French and followed the 8 p.m. news on the national channel. The rise of social media, supported by videos that are both short and entertaining, represents the magic formula for spreading content, informing, and conveying messages.?? It’s up to us to decide how we consume all this content, either without limits or with moderation. In any case, it’s crucial to use our critical thinking and always question the truthfulness of what is being shared". Listen to the episode by following this link: https://lnkd.in/eU7PgXGv #PodcastAfropolitan #AccountabilityLab #Disinformation #ThinkTankCSIS #CivicEngagement #MediaLiteracy #Mali French version J'ai eu l'honneur et le plaisir d'être invitée à partager mes réflexions dans le premier épisode du podcast Afropolitan, con?u par Catherine Nzuki et produit par le prestigieux Think Tank CSIS Africa.? https://lnkd.in/eyyih5uv Au cours de cet épisode, nous avons abordé un défi de plus en plus pressant dans nos sociétés en particulier au Mali : la propagation de la désinformation, notamment sur les réseaux sociaux, dans des contextes fragile. "Pendant longtemps, l'information a été réservée à une élite qui comprenait le fran?ais et suivait le journal de 20 heures sur la cha?ne nationale. L’avènement des réseaux sociaux avec en appui des supports vidéos qui sont à la fois courts et divertissants représentent la formule magique pour diffuser des contenus, informer et faire passer des messages.? A nous de voir comment nous consommons tous ces contenus. Sans limite ou avec modération, dans tous les cas, il est crucial de faire appel à son esprit critique et toujours se questionner sur la véracité de ce qui est diffusé." écoutez l'épisode en suivant ce lien : https://lnkd.in/eU7PgXGv #PodcastAfropolitan #AccountabilityLab #Désinformation #ThinkTankCSIS #EngagementCitoyen #éducationAuxMédias #Mali

In Akwa-Ibom’s Ibeno community, Martins Asukpa and Accountability Lab Nigeria’s Civic Action Teams (CivActs) are making an impact. This article captures how Martins and his community are confronting environmental damage caused by ExxonMobil’s operations. Through CivActs, locals gained essential tools to advocate for cleaner environments and corporate accountability. From forming a Community Justice Team (CJT) to launching the “Voices of the Community” radio program, Accountability Lab Nigeria has supported residents in driving real change. Today, ExxonMobil has begun cleanup efforts and awarded local contracts, marking a step toward environmental recovery. Discover the full story and see how determined voices are shaping a better future. ?? Read more here: https://bit.ly/3zuZnJt A project of Accountability Lab Nigeria in partnership with Luminate and the Ford Foundation. #CivActs #CommunityAdvocacy #AccountabilityLab #Nigeria #Transparency

In these present times, technology is changing our communities, our personal lives, and even the way society thinks & works. But as tech evolves,?it's important to ask: who is shaping?this change-who is moderating the content moderator? Tech is all about the algorithm. People need to be able to scrutinize these algorithms because they have real-life effects, especially on under-represented communities. Every society that fancies tech should put privacy first by integrating it into tech designs?and be responsible about how they store and use data. The user, not the company, owns the data after all! Every click, like, and post should matter when people's rights are at risk. But who is responsible for #databreaches and misuse? The user? The tech company? Or the government? We need regulations that evolve with AI and tech, and we need more?sociologists & ethicists to help us address?these moral issues. When it comes to Africa, tech is often just a product rather than a tool for developing society (thanks to capitalism). The continent is seen more as a marketplace than a collaborator in #digitalinnovation that respects #humanrights and supports accountability. There is still a strong call for #EthicalTech, which means that #BigTech?should respect #FreedomOfExpression, conduct their human rights due diligence, and be open about what they find. The current situation can be changed by the #civictech movement in Africa. We can develop tools that support and include under-represented groups, by encouraging collaboration, building skills, and promoting #DigitalLiteracy. We want “tech that is made by Africans, for Africans, and of Africans”, not global-north influenced. It's not OK to develop more tech tools, people need to be able to use them in meaningful ways as well. #CivicTechActors can lead here, creating environments for true collaboration. This way of thinking needs to be encouraged, and Civic Tech Innovation Network have initiated it. We need to connect tech with responsibility and, in the end, with the communities it serves. Thanks Nwabueze CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation for the support! Adeboye always spot on! #DigitalGovernance #UnderTheHood

?? Join Accountable Now’s Open House in Johannesburg next week! ?? ??? Date: November 18th ?? Location: CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation office, Johannesburg ??? Refreshments: Drinks and lunch provided Explore how Accountable Now’s membership and partnerships can support your organization’s mission and impact. Join our conversation on navigating donor pressures and managing organizational expectations in the southern African context, with practical takeaways to strengthen your organization. This event is also a valuable opportunity for #PeerLearning and networking with other #CSO leaders. Connect, share experiences, and explore collaborative possibilities in a relaxed, engaging setting. ?? RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3O5vkMj

?? Hackcorruption Bootcamp, Balkans Edition People of different ages, levels of experience, and professional backgrounds, gathered their skills and courage to contribute to countering corruption in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Courage, because whether countering green finance corruption or preferential treatment in public procurement, teams would have their ideas poked, prodded, and interrogated. The intensive, weekend-long bootcamp asked participants: ?? What data will you use? ?? Who would use the tool you'll eventually build? ?? What platforms would work best? ?? How sustainable are your ideas? With every session – and support from mentors in the field– ideas went from feasible to viable. Over the next 6 months, participants will wrangle their ideas into milestones of meeting stakeholders, building their tools, and making sure they grow to support civil society, journalists, government agencies and citizens at large. We're so excited to see their progress! Learn more about HackCorruption here: https://bit.ly/3Tw5hRq HackCorruption is proud to count Development Gateway: An IREX Venture, Center for International Private Enterprise, USAID's Countering Transnational Corruption Grand Challenge for Development, and the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Intl Narcotics & Law Enforcement (INL) as partners.

?? Accountability Lab Zimbabwe ?? has launched a documentary on urban mining in the city of Bulawayo. It explores the methods and motivations behind urban mining practices, highlighting both the environmental challenges and economic opportunities they present. Through compelling interviews and stunning visuals, viewers witness firsthand the impact of these activities on local residents, their livelihoods, and the city’s landscape. The Harare release of "Time Bomb: Impact of Urban Mining on the City of Bulawayo" brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including natural resource governance experts, local government leaders, members of the Harare City Council, and His Worship Mayor Jacob Mafume. The screening sparked timely discussions on the urgent need for better regulation and documentation of urban mining. Watch the documentary here ?? https://bit.ly/3YNUwgz #UrbanMining #Bulawayo #CommunityAction