FOREWORD Six years ago, African Heads of State and Government came up with a jointly crafted and broadly supported agenda for advancing the basic values of democracy and good governance which together constitute the key requirements for the sustainable economic growth and development of their countries. The continental agenda, designated as the ‘African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)’, has grown from strength to strength. It gives me great pleasure to present today, the APRM Country Review Report and the National Programme of Action of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is the eighth in the series and the fifth to be accomplished under my stewardship as Chairperson of the APR Forum. I would like to seize this opportunity to congratulate His Excellency Umaru Yar’Adua and the people of Nigeria on this great achievement. Nigeria is central to the NEPAD and APRM. It was not only one of the five initiating countries of NEPAD; indeed, my immediate predecessor as Chairperson of the APR Forum, former president Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, served as Chairperson of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee as well as the APR Forum from the inception of NEPAD in July 2001 until his departure from office in May 2007. Moreover, Nigeria has been generous in financing the APRM and has so far contributed USD $2,350,000 to the continental Mechanism. The successful accomplishment of the country review process once again testifies to Nigeria’s commitment to and leadership of Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance in general, and the NEPAD/APRM initiatives in particular. This Report candidly elucidates the challenges Nigeria faces, including managing its diversity in nation-building, reducing the country’s over-dependence on oil and providing public services to its 140 million inhabitants. The Report also recognises the sound initiatives that have been taken with a view to addressing these challenges. Notably, the Federal Character principle and the Council of State initiative, which are enshrined in the country’s constitution, are already yielding tangible results in nation-building. Nigeria has also made commendable efforts in tackling corruption through the establishment of institutions such as the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). The Report has highlighted the remarkable leadership shown by President Yar’Adua in not only adhering to the constitutional requirements to declare his assets and liabilities before the Code of Conduct Bureau, but also going beyond the call of duty and making his declaration public. It is hoped that this example will be emulated at all levels of the public service and among ordinary citizens, for the betterment of the country. The APRM is also about identifying and disseminating best practices for peer learning and the advancement of the continent as a whole. In this context, the APRM has the mandate to promote intra-African trade and technical cooperation. It is therefore gratifying that the Report for example points out the Technical Aid Corps Programme as one of Nigeria’s major contributions to socio-ecomonic development among the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. It is the sole volunteer service of its kind currently operated by an African country and therefore II