The backbone of any institution is the capacity of its staff. This is the foundation behind the support by the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) programme on governance reforms and institutional strengthening at state, regional and Federal levels. In the Southwest region, the programme has built partnership with reform agencies and knowledge hubs, including the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission. The partnership with DAWN Commission started in 2016 when states in the region were supported to map and evaluate good practices, which were showcased at an innovations conference supported by PERL in February 2017.