DFID-PERL supported participation of its three partner states - Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa; and North East hub – Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States to a 2-day Learning Event where officials of the Ministry of Planning & Budget, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant General, Internal Revenue Service, State House of Assembly and other non-government actors shared lessons and experience aimed at improving audit and reporting processes in the Budget cycle.

The event which held on the 15th and 16th July 2019 is a sequel of 2017 and 2018 experience sharing events on budget planning and implementation. The event witnessed active participation of eight (8) Honorable members from the Houses of Assembly of the participating states including the Deputy Speaker of Jigawa state.

The Deputy Speaker Jigawa State House of Assembly, Director Budget and Economic Planning Commission Kaduna state, Chairman Public Account Committee Kano State House of Assembly, Auditors General Yobe, Adamawa and Borno States gave goodwill messages. In their messages, the states’ representatives thanked PERL for the support which has added value to the budget cycle in their respective locations and noted that learning should be based on the reality of the state and it is inevitable to foster good practice.

One major lesson that made an impression on participants from other locations is timely reporting practised by Yobe State. In an interview with the citizens' co-chair of Open Government Partnership in Kaduna, he noted that, “…In the area of audit scrutiny, Yobe State has skillfully done a few good things we want to replicate when we return to Kaduna.”

At the end of the session, participants highlighted good practices learned, how these practices can be replicated in their locations and the required support or partnership to facilitate replication. It was also agreed that the key lessons and implementation plan will be presented to the Executive Councils of respective states. By May 2020, a status report will be presented on the levels of implementation of the action plan.