SPRiNG shifts focus to scaling peace, security interventions in Plateau

The Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria Programme has announced plans to scale up existing peace, security and inclusion interventions in Plateau State as it begins the third year of its implementation.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded programme disclosed this during a three-day co-creation workshop held in Jos to review its second-year activities and outline priorities for the next phase.

This was contained in a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, the programme’s Team Leader, Dr Ukoha Ukiwo, said the initiative would focus on expanding successful pilot projects, strengthening institutional accountability and deepening collaboration with state institutions.

“As we transition into Year 3, our mandate is clear: we are shifting from experimenting with new models to aggressively scaling proven pilots.

“Our success depends on deep institutional collaboration and an unwavering commitment to systemic inclusion.

“We must be resolute in our standards, assuring that all interventions are strictly survival-centred and that criminal offences like SGBV are never mediated informally. While rigorous baseline targets will govern our focus to maximise impact, we will maintain the adaptive flexibility needed to support local momentum,” the statement read.

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According to him, interventions under the programme’s peace, security and justice component will focus on improving coordination among early warning and response platforms and supporting community security structures in line with existing state frameworks.

He said the programme would also strengthen the participation of women and youths in peacebuilding and security initiatives while improving support systems for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.

Ukiwo added that the programme would expand climate-smart agriculture and natural resource management initiatives aimed at reducing conflicts among communities.

The workshop brought together government officials, civil society organisations and development partners to review progress made under the programme and develop implementation strategies for the coming year.

The programme also announced minimum inclusion targets for partner projects, requiring at least 40 per cent female participation and five per cent representation for women with disabilities.

Stakeholders at the meeting emphasised the need to integrate the programme’s activities into existing structures managed by the Plateau State Peace Building Agency to ensure sustainability.

The SPRiNG Programme is a four-year initiative funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and implemented by Tetra Tech International Development in partnership with Nextier SPD, the Centre for Democracy and Development and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.