MacArthur Foundation plans to prioritise and support high-quality investigative and data-driven journalism. The nonprofit said it will shift its focus to supporting media organisations, activists and advocates who call for policy changes at all governmental levels in Nigeria.
This was made known in a joint statement by the African Director and Nigerian Co-Director of the foundation, Dr Kole Shettima, and the Co-Director of the organisation in the country, Erin Sines.
The new phase of the consolidation, according to the Co-Directors, means that the nonprofit will abandon some of its former priorities that include funding projects around sectoral anti-corruption in education and electricity after ensuring the projects remain sustainable.
“We have made the commitment to our sectoral partners to exit responsibly and slowly, to create opportunities for the organizations to get stronger, and to look for ways to elevate the work,” the statement says.
The foundation promised to continue supporting efforts to reform Nigeria’s criminal justice by focusing on the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and complimentary anti-corruption laws and policies.
The statement added that the organisation, “will continue to support entertainers and faith communities to use their platforms to encourage accountability and integrity in society and to shift social norms around corruption.”
Activists and Advocates will continue to receive supports from the organisation to enable them to demand “action and policy change from their local, states and federal governments”.
The joint statement added that both the potential partners and the organisation will focus on the legacy the projects will leave behind and their sustainability efforts.
“During this phase, we will ask ourselves and our partners, ‘What does this work leave behind? How will this work continue to serve Nigerians even after the project has ended?’,” they said.
MacArthur Foundation will continue to ensure that all its works reflect generational, gender, geographic and social diversity that continues to make Nigeria a great country to live.
“We will also do our best to ensure that civil society and media organizations are strengthened through our partnership and continue to have the opportunity to work with their peers in coalitions,” the Co-Director said.
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