Yobe HCD-DD, Lafiya UK Strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation of Human Capital Development
By Ahmed I. Abba
The Yobe Human Capital Development–Demographic Dividend (HCD-DD) Secretariat, supported by Lafiya UK Project, has commenced a three-day workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework development for the state’s HCD-DD technical team.
The workshop, holding from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24 at Dutse Royal Hotel, Jigawa, aims to strengthen institutional capacity for evidence-based planning and accountability in implementing Yobe’s Human Capital Development strategic plan (2025–2027).
Malam Usman M. Bura, the Yobe State Focal Person for Human Capital Development and Demographic Dividend, said the training was a follow-up to the recent launch of the state’s three-year strategic plan.
He said the workshop would equip participants with technical skills in M&E to ensure effective tracking of the state’s progress across key HCD-DD sectors such as education, health, and youth empowerment.
“This training is designed to strengthen the capacity of technical stakeholders to understand, apply and manage the monitoring and evaluation framework for the state’s HCD-DD programme,” Bura said.
He added that 21 participants drawn from critical institutions, including the Ministries of Women Affairs, Youth and Social Development, Employment and Wealth Creation, and the State Bureau of Public Procurement, were attending the workshop.
According to him, representatives from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Office of the Focal Person on Persons with Disabilities are also participating, reflecting the data-driven and inclusive nature of the programme.
Bura said that the secretariat had earlier established a baseline report for Yobe State as of December 2024, capturing performance levels in core sectors. The ongoing training, he said, would enable stakeholders to measure progress from 2025 to 2027 based on that benchmark.
He explained that the goal was to ensure that Yobe’s human capital development initiatives were guided by measurable indicators and credible data.
Mr Musa Muhammad, a facilitator and member of the Chartered Institute of Human Capital Development, outlined the objectives of the training to include developing a state-owned HCD-DD M&E framework for integration into the Yobe State Bureau of Statistics.
He said the workshop also sought to align the framework with the HCD-DD Theory of Change and state development priorities, define institutional reporting mechanisms, and build the capacity of government institutions for monitoring and reporting.
“The training will help establish a results-based system that supports evidence-based decision-making, resource mobilisation, and improved accountability,” Muhammad said.
In a presentation, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad Jawa, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of HCD-DD, explained that M&E supports managerial systems to achieve set objectives and improve access to essential services, particularly in health, education, and youth empowerment.
He said monitoring was a continuous process of tracking progress, while evaluation involved periodic assessment of a project’s design, implementation, and outcomes.
“M&E improves decision-making, ensures transparency, and helps measure success and impact,” Jawa added.
The workshop is part of continuous capacity-building initiatives under the Yobe HCD-DD framework, supported by Lafiya UK, to enhance governance and human development outcomes in the state.
