The MacArthur Foundation has committed not less than $34.2 million or N12.3 billion between 2017 and 2018 as part of efforts in checkmating social challenges in Nigeria, Economic Confidential can report.

In deploying these funds, MacArthur Foundation expects that the results would be a drastic reduction in corruption by supporting Nigeria-led efforts to promote an atmosphere of accountability, transparency and good governance in the country.

Regarded as one of the United States’ largest independent foundations, MacArthur Foundation supports various organizations in 50 countries spread across the globe.

The Economic Confidential gathered that in 2017 alone, $25.35 million or N9.12 billion was committed to various organizations. They include but not limited to ActionAid International, Action Health, African Centre for Media and Information Literacy, African Centre for Leadership and Strategy and Akin Fadeyi foundation.

Other organizations supported by MacArthur in 2017 include: Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Arewa Research and Development Project, Bayero University, Centre for Democracy and Development, Centre for Transparency and Advocacy, Centre for Women Health CISLAC, Cleen Foundation, Community Life Project, Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Girl Child Concerns amongst others.

In 2018, MacArthur aided organisations in Nigeria with about $8.85mn or N3.18 billion in tackling several social challenges. Beneficiaries of these funding were:  Centre for Information Technology and development, Chartam House, Cleen Foundation, Heda Resource Centre, Integrity, Legal Defence and Assistance Project(LEDAP),  Open Government Partnership, Policy and Legal Advocacy, Shehu Yar’Adua Foundation.

Others beneficiaries of MacArthur Foundation included: Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Synergia Initiative for Human Rights, African Investigative Journalism Conference, wadata Communications Nigeria Limited and Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternatives (WRAPA) among several others.

In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsible and responsive democracy. It provides grants towards strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism in Nigeria and to reinforce the role played by independent media and citizens in revealing and documenting corruption. Some of the beneficiaries of the grant included: Daily Trust Foundation, Cable News Journalism Foundation, Brekete Family, International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Sahara Reporters, Tiger Eye Social Foundation, and Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

The funding was deployed to these organisations as agents to support the promotion and protection of human rights of sexual minorities in the country, accountability training program for young people, behavioural science workshops and technical assistance in Nigeria and improve fight against corruption through increased efficiency in criminal investigations and prosecutions in Nigeria.

The MacArthur grants in the year under review were also targeted  at convening a multi-stakeholders conference on new media and governance in the run-up to the 2019 general elections, to monitor the implementation and increase public awareness about the administration of Criminal Justice Act in Nigeria, strengthening investigative and data-driven journalism in local languages at the community levels as tools for reducing corruption and enhancing accountability apart from promoting implementation of Whistleblower policy and guidelines.

From its activities in the last two years in Nigeria, the MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and to build a more just, viable and peaceful Nigeria.

The Foundation MacArthur is placing a few big bets that truly significant progress is possible on some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including over-incarceration, global climate change, nuclear risk, and significantly increasing financial capital for the social sector.