The Coalitions for Change Programme (C4C) is a new departure for development initiatives in Nigeria, in that it sets out to create an environment where government agencies and the public relate better to each other. C4C works with those development agencies and institutions that are directly responsible for public resource management in Nigeria. The programme works on eight core issues, linked to accountability and resource management, by setting up and supporting coalitions of interest for each issue across civil society, government, the private sector and the media. The emphasis is on both the government, as the supply side of service delivery, and civil society, representing the demand side. C4C has built bridges between different interest groups to help create a more conducive climate of communication and cooperation. The aim is to help Nigeria improve its people’s livelihoods by meeting the Millennium Development Goals. C4C has eight Issue-Based Projects (IBPs), each focusing on an important core issue. These issues were identified and selected after a rich process of consultation with a wide range of stakeholders in Nigeria. All issues were a high priority in the minds of government, civil society, the private sector and the media, and they resonated with the public. It was expected that appreciable progress could be made on them within a reasonable time frame, and that the lessons learned from tackling them can be adapted and replicated elsewhere in the future.
