CITIZENS POWER IN ACTION: Connected Development’s 2024 Report Champions Grassroots Advocacy Across Africa
Maryam Aminu
Connected Development (CODE), one of Africa’s most influential civic organisations, has unveiled its 2024 Annual Report, placing the spotlight on the transformative power of everyday citizens in shaping governance and driving change from the ground up.
The report, launched in Abuja and aptly titled “The Year of Active Citizen”, paints a compelling picture of how local voices are taking centre stage in demanding accountability, justice, and better services across the continent.
Addressing the press, CODE’s Chief Executive and founder of the Follow The Money initiative, Hamzat Lawal, described 2024 as a year where ordinary people led extraordinary movements.
“Citizens are no longer waiting on the sidelines,” Lawal said. “They are becoming watchdogs, whistleblowers, and warriors for justice in their own communities.”
Through over 40 campaigns in 12 African countries, CODE enabled grassroots action that directly reached thousands of citizens. From climate justice to education reform and anti-corruption work, the organisation fostered inclusive dialogue and hands-on engagement, hosting town hall meetings, training workshops, and community forums to ignite civic participation.
In Sierra Leone, CODE expanded its footprint with a dedicated Follow The Money chapter, equipping local activists to track public spending and hold leaders to account. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, CODE tracked over ₦4 billion in public funds, uncovering discrepancies and pushing for transparency in 20 communities.
In Kano, citizens’ voices echoed into legislative halls, as CODE’s Galvanizing Mass Action Against Gender-Based Violence campaign culminated in the passage of a long-awaited Child Protection Bill. A win powered by community advocacy.
Bauchi State witnessed the rollout of CODE’s Girl-Child Education Project in collaboration with the Malala Fund empowering girls and prompting government action on school funding and teacher recruitment. Simultaneously, a partnership with USAID and AGILE introduced conditional cash transfers in 18 states to keep girls in school and promote literacy.
Perhaps most revealing is CODE’s data mapping of 553 schools and 784 healthcare centres across Nigeria a sobering expose of the country’s infrastructure crisis. Despite nearly ₦894 billion in state education funding, the statistics reveal overcrowded classrooms, untrained teachers, water shortages, and gender-insensitive facilities.
Some findings include:
An alarming 280 students per class in Plateau State seven times the national benchmark.
Less than 20% of schools in Benue, Cross River, and Enugu have access to safe water.
Over 50% of teachers in Sokoto and Zamfara have never undergone professional development.
Female enrollment surges in North Central and South South, but gender disparity persists in the North West and North East.
Still, for CODE, this data is not an end, but a beginning a roadmap for public action and policy reform.
“The data is not just numbers it’s a call to action,” Lawal stated. “We are not here to merely report the problems; we are here to solve them, community by community.”
The report also called for deeper synergy between government, civil society, and international partners to ensure public investments translate into real outcomes.
As CODE reaffirms its commitment to elevating Africa’s most vulnerable, it calls on citizens to remain engaged and proactive. “Governance is not a spectator sport,” Lawal concluded. “Africa’s progress depends on every citizen playing their part.
