The Institute of Negotiators, Community and Social Development Experts (INCOS-DE) has revealed that over 345 global development partners are eager to collaborate with community-based civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria to implement transformative community projects.
Speaking at the Board Inauguration, Executive Training Certificate Presentation, and Induction Ceremony in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of INCOS-DE, Kunle Yusuff, said billions of dollars in global development funds are available for community impact projects, but many Nigerians lack the technical knowledge and negotiation skills required to access them.
Yusuff explained that the Institute, which enjoys the backing of the Federal Government, is committed to building local capacity so Nigerians can effectively engage with international development partners and access global funding to improve lives. “Funds from global development partners abound, but Nigeria needs to use its expertise to key into such funds to impact the life of citizens,” he stated.
He disclosed that there are about 345 development partners globally willing to disburse funds to community-based organizations for social impact projects. “The problem is that many don’t know how to negotiate and access them,” Yusuff added. He noted that in the last six months, INCOS-DE has worked across continents to secure partnerships that would strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the global development ecosystem.
“Six months ago, the President, Bola Tinubu, consented to this Institute and we got the approval to the general office, certificates will be released. Beyond this, in the last six months, we have been working around the globe to secure partnership and we currently have four that will be working with us to build capacity for Nigeria to also enjoy grants across the globe,” he said.
Yusuff emphasized that the Institute’s mission is to equip Nigerians with the skills to become certified executive experts and development professionals capable of identifying, negotiating, and managing grant interventions. “The goal is to provide capacity building for Nigerians to become certified executive experts and development partners in order for them to join the rest of the world in identifying grant intervention and management while we serve as support system to monitor and evaluate the process,” he explained.
According to him, certified experts will be able to collaborate with international development champions to draw funds needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and address critical challenges such as climate change. He noted that the global investment required to meet these goals remains enormous, with annual financial needs estimated at between $5 trillion and $7 trillion, while climate financing alone is projected to require about $15 trillion between 2025 and 2030.
He highlighted that key development areas requiring urgent investment include education, health, clean energy, water, sanitation, and hygiene, noting that governments alone cannot meet these needs without strong partnerships with donor agencies, development partners, and strategic investors. “Given the resource constraints faced by governments, partnerships with Donor Agencies, Development Partners and Strategic Investors are crucial for securing funding and driving sustainable development,” he said.
The Institute, which already enjoys partnership support from institutions such as the Møller Institute, University of Cambridge, Liberty University in the United States, the United Nations, and Merited Institute, also listed organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Green Climate Fund, United Nations Development Programme, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, European Union, German Development Cooperation, World Bank Group, Asian Development Bank, Google.org, and the United States Agency for International Development among key potential partners in the global funding ecosystem.
Earlier, Chairman of the Board of INCOS-DE, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi, commended the Institute’s vision, describing negotiators and development experts as critical stakeholders in mobilizing resources for national growth, particularly at the grassroots. Kuchi, who is a former Minister of State for Power, said: “Intervention in social development is critical because no matter how expert we are in terms of negotiations, what we need most are people that will develop our communities, people that will make sure our societies do not end in sequence with other countries. By the time we develop the people that can bring all these grants, add it to whatever we have here, we will be able to progress tremendously.”
The event marked another milestone in the country’s effort to strengthen collaboration between local actors and international partners, as INCOS-DE pledged to continue providing the technical and strategic support needed for Nigerian experts to play a central role in attracting global development investments.
