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Tag: monitoring and evaluation

  • 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Lafarge Africa Plc Celebrates Beneficiaries of its Disability-to-Ability Programme

    2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Lafarge Africa Plc Celebrates Beneficiaries of its Disability-to-Ability Programme

    …Partners with Tunde Onakoya, LSETF others

    Lafarge Africa Plc, a building solutions company renowned for creating a greener planet through innovation and operational excellence, commemorated International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Thursday, December 4, 2025 with the participants of its Disability-to-Ability (D2A) Programme in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) and Tunde Onakoya,  Founder, Chess in Slums Africa, and Guinness World Record Holder for the longest marathon chess game.

    The D2A Programme, themed “Ability Reimagined,” which kicked off recently is designed to train 100 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and equip them with market-relevant vocational and entrepreneurial skills that open pathways to employment, business development, and long-term self-reliance. Participants will receive hands-on training in four key areas: Laptop and Phone Repairs, Make-Up and Gele, Wig and Braids Making, and Shoe and Bag Making.

    To ensure accessibility and inclusivity, the programme was implemented across two hubs; Ikeja (Lagos West) and Ikorodu (Lagos East), allowing beneficiaries from different parts of the state to participate fully.

    Speaking at the event, the Director of Communications, Public Affairs & Sustainable Development, Lafarge Africa Plc, Viola Graham-Douglas, described the initiative as a reflection of Lafarge’s commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods. She expressed her appreciation to the partners for championing inclusion and supporting the success of the programme. 

    Graham-Douglas explained that beyond technical skills, the programme will expose participants to entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and mentorship sessions coordinated by LSETF, ensuring that beneficiaries are not only skilled but also ready to thrive as business owners or professionals in their chosen fields. 

    “This programme is very important to us at Lafarge and underscores our commitment to our communities. We don’t just produce building solutions, we build society, homes, and empower people to be the best that they possibly can be”, she said.

    “Everyone has a right to dignity, to make a living, and we believe in real opportunities. A society is not governed by the policy, it is governed by people, committed people, people who really want to make a difference. We really want to make a difference in people’s lives and an inclusive society is one where everyone can make a living and give back in their own way,” she added. 

    In his speech, the program partner, Tunde Onakoya lifted the spirits of the participants, citing his personal story and how playing chess and reading books gave him the opportunity to travel the world despite his condition. He charged the beneficiaries to believe in themselves and take utmost advantage of the Lafarge D2A programme as a valuable opportunity. He encouraged them to be diligent with their God-given skills and use them as a blessing to the world. He commended Lafarge for providing such an opportunity that empowers people living with disabilities. 

    Mrs. Feyisayo Alayande, Executive Secretary/CEO, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) joined other key stakeholders at the event to engage the beneficiaries in a speed mentoring session.

    Also speaking, the General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mrs Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, who was represented by Dr Adekola Oluwafunmilayo, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, LASODA emphasized that the responsibility of building an inclusive society does not lie with the government alone but  is a shared task that requires collaboration, compassion, and consistent effort from every stakeholder. 

    She commended the partnership of Lafarge Africa Plc and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) for the impactful entrepreneurship training, which has over 100 beneficiaries. “By supporting business registration and providing starter toolkits at the end of the training, you are empowering these individuals to begin their entrepreneurial journeys with confidence and clarity. This is the kind of thoughtful support that truly transforms lives, and we at LASODA sincerely appreciate your commitment” she concluded.

  • AfDB Appoints Dr. Eric Kehinde Ogunleye as Director of African Development Institute

    AfDB Appoints Dr. Eric Kehinde Ogunleye as Director of African Development Institute

    ..Ogunleye has significantly enhanced the Institutional Capacity Building and Fiduciary Clinics, which now consistently cover 20 country portfolios annually

     The African Development Bank has appointed Dr. Eric Kehinde Ogunleye, a seasoned macroeconomist, as Director of the African Development Institute, effective June 1, 2024.

    Ogunleye, a Nigerian national, has nearly 20 years of experience in macro and development economics, capacity development, public governance and regulatory reform, monitoring and evaluation, and policy advisory. His career includes designing and leading innovative, context-specific capacity development and policy advisory initiatives at the highest levels of national governance, achieving significant global partnerships and impactful results.

    He previously served as the Officer in Charge of the African Development Institute and Manager of the Institute’s Policy Management Division. He was also previously an Advisor to the Chief Economist and Vice President of the Economic Governance and Knowledge Management Complex. He played a crucial role in developing and implementing the Bank Group’s Capacity Development Strategy (2021-2025) and related initiatives, such as the Public Finance Management Academy for Africa and the Macroeconomic Management Academy for Africa.

    Ogunleye has significantly enhanced the Institutional Capacity Building and Fiduciary Clinics, which now consistently cover 20 country portfolios annually, improving the quality of the Bank’s operations and portfolios in Regional Member Countries.

    In December 2022, Ogunleye successfully launched the Public Finance Management Academy for Africa, featuring an 18-month structured training program across the entire public financial and debt management cycle. This initiative has trained over 145 public officials from 45 African countries as Public Finance Management experts. He currently leads multiple technical assistance projects, including macroeconomic modelling and policy dialogues, to address entrenched and emerging development challenges in African countries. He has also forged numerous partnerships at global, continental, regional, national, and sub-national levels to support these initiatives.

    Before joining the Bank, he was Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on International Trade and Finance and later as Special Advisor to the Chief Economic Advisor to the President. He played a pivotal role in policy research, institutional capacity development, and monitoring and evaluation of socio-economic policies. He contributed to Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which lifted the country out of recession. Additionally, he served as a long-term consultant (Country Macroeconomist) in the Nigeria Country Department of the Bank Group, coordinating macroeconomic analysis in Nigeria and supporting the Bank’s diverse development projects portfolio.

    Ogunleye’s previous roles also include Research Fellow at the African Center for Economic Transformation, Doctoral Researcher at the United Nations University’s World Institute for Development Economics Research, Doctoral Research Intern at the World Trade Organization, and International Research Consultant at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. He has also taught and conducted research as a Lecturer at the University of Calabar, Nigeria.

    He holds a PhD and MSc in Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, a BSc degree in Economics from the University of Calabar, Nigeria, a Cambridge Certificate in Advanced Program on Rethinking Development Economics in Africa, and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from Harvard University.

    Expressing his gratitude for the appointment, Dr. Ogunleye said, “I am truly humbled, honoured, and pleased by the confidence reposed in me by President Akinwumi A. Adesina for this appointment. I am deeply fascinated and appreciate his consistent penchant for excellence and recognition of talent. I use this opportunity to renew my commitment to the Bank, its leadership, and regional member countries in deepening my support for strengthening institutional capacities in all forms in regional member countries.”

    Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, commented: “I am pleased to appoint Dr. Eric Kehinde Ogunleye as Director of the African Development Institute. Eric is a focused and strategic leader with first-class expertise in key areas of institutional capacity development support to regional member countries. I am confident that he will continue to leverage his vast experience and global partnership across all spheres of capacity development for delivery at scale for our regional member countries.”