Our history
Coalition-building, learning and partnerships in Kano, 2007–2012.
Where we come from
Long before our current programmes, we worked with other civil society groups in Kano to make government budgets more open. One result was COBTAK, the Coalition of Budget Transparency Advocates in Kano. COMSSI's Executive Director and representative, Alhaji Musa Muhammad Kaila, took part in its founding events and served as its Financial Secretary.
This page records what our profile documents from 2007 to 2012.
Why it matters
The coalition years taught us that organisations achieve more together, that money and planning matter as much as good intentions, and that government listens when citizens are informed and organised.
Building a coalition, 2007–2008
- October 2007A workshop in Kaduna, funded by the EU's Support to Reforming Institutions Programme (SRIP), trained 28 civil society participants from Kano and its 11 focal local governments in participatory budgeting and how to advocate on public financial management.
- 13 November 2007We attended the launch of the Investment Climate Programme in Kano, a federal, UK DFID and World Bank/IFC-backed effort to strengthen dialogue between the public and private sectors.
- 13 December 2007Thirteen civil society representatives approached EU SRIP in Kano about forming a coalition. They chose the name Coalition of Budget Transparency Advocates in Kano (COBTAK) and elected an interim committee.
- 5 January 2008A follow-up meeting completed registration formalities and adopted a draft constitution.
- 22–24 January 2008A communication skills and report writing workshop in Kaduna equipped about 25 officials of partner CSOs to mobilise citizens in budget formulation, monitoring and implementation.
- 3–9 February 2008A COBTAK delegation toured Osun State to learn from its civil society network (see below).
- 21 February 2008COBTAK was formally launched in Kano before about 92 CSO officials, government representatives and the press. An MoU was signed with EU SRIP.
- 26–30 May 2008A five-day programme accounting and auditing workshop in Kaduna prepared CSO finance staff to meet donor requirements.
- October and December 2008We attended the national Public Procurement Act sensitisation for the North West zone, and a seminar on anti-money laundering and countering terrorism financing compliance in Kano.
Building partnerships, 2009
- January 2009COBTAK was invited to a radio discussion on transparency, accountability and good governance by the Chairman of the Kano House of Assembly's Finance Committee.
- 18 March 2009We attended the Central Bank of Nigeria's Investors' Forum in Kano, promoting microfinance banks and small business growth.
- 2009COBTAK trained civil society organisations on writing proposals for calls for proposals, and joined training on project cycle management.
- Late August to September 2009COBTAK was invited to help monitor state and local spending of the Virtual Poverty Fund, and hosted assessment visits from EU-INSIDE and SAVI-appointed consultants.
- 2 October 2009COBTAK hosted the team evaluating the European Commission's cooperation with Nigeria (1999–2008).
- 16–18 October 2009COBTAK took part in a Kano State Government and Citizens' Policy Dialogue as part of the global 'Stand up, take action, end poverty' campaign.
- 19 October 2009COBTAK hosted a monitoring mission from the European Commission in Brussels and Abuja.
National and donor links, 2010–2012
- July 2010COBTAK joined the Nigeria Resource Tracking Advocacy Group (NiRTAG), a national coalition, at a meeting in Kaduna.
- 27 October 2011The Kano Voice and Accountability Platform, a coalition of media, civil society and the State House of Assembly, held a one-day forum on the Freedom of Information Act in Kano.
- 2012COBTAK signed an MoU to join the GRM International-led consortium delivering DFID's Mobilising for the Millennium Development Goals (M4M) programme (2012–2018), aimed at making policymakers and service providers in three Northern states more accountable to citizens.
- UndatedWith RIBAC and the Women Development Initiative, COBTAK was approved by the Kano State Executive Council to assess the Community Re-orientation Committee's women empowerment programme across the state's 44 local government councils over eight months.
What we learned in Osun State
A study tour, 3 to 9 February 2008, funded by EU SRIP, to see how the Network of NGOs in Osun State (NETNOS) works. NETNOS has been active since 2002 on good governance and budget transparency. The visitors met its members, attended a monthly meeting, visited local organisations, ministries and community projects, and met a traditional ruler who spoke about the role of civil society.
Lessons
- Civil society organisations are go-betweens for government and the governed.
- Coalitions are more effective than lone organisations.
- A coalition needs a sustainability plan, and members must keep their dues up to date.
- CSOs help carry development efforts from donors to citizens.
- Gender mainstreaming has government backing through a national gender policy.
What we committed to do
- Stay part of a coalition.
- Take payment of dues seriously.
- Organise capacity building to share the lessons learned.
- Keep engaging government constructively on development programmes.
- Make an annual work plan and break it into quarters.
Our track record
Selected milestones
- 2007–2008Training in participatory budgeting, public financial management and report writing through EU SRIP.
- 2008Helped launch COBTAK, the Coalition of Budget Transparency Advocates in Kano.
- 2009–2012Expanded national partnerships through NiRTAG and the DFID-funded M4M consortium.
- 2013–2019Community outreach on insecticidal nets for pregnant women across four Kano LGAs.
- 2022Social mobilisation and net distribution for Kano's malaria elimination campaign in Madobi LGA.