Capacity Building for Local Government Officials in Project Planning and Monitoring in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria

This study assesses the state of capacity building for local government officials in project planning and monitoring in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, and proposes a structured framework for improving professional competencies in local government project management. Effective project planning and monitoring are central to ensuring that public investments at the local government level deliver intended development outcomes, yet most local governments in Nigeria lack trained project management professionals. Drawing on capacity development theory and recent local governance literature from 2019 to 2024, the study employs a practitioner research design. Data are gathered from local government council secretaries, project supervisors, state Local Government Service Commission officials, and development partners through structured questionnaires and focused interviews across twelve local government areas in Kogi State. Descriptive statistics and training needs assessment frameworks are applied. The study anticipates finding critical gaps in the use of formal project management methodologies, evidence-based planning tools, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and results-based reporting in Kogi State local governments. The influence of political patronage on project selection and the absence of independent oversight structures are also assessed. Recommendations will propose a tiered capacity building curriculum for local government project management, a professional certification pathway, and a state-level project monitoring database to track development programme performance. Keywords: capacity building, local government, project management, Kogi State, monitoring and evaluation