Strategic Planning Practices in Islamic Non-Governmental Organisations in Abuja, FCT

This study investigates strategic planning practices within Islamic non-governmental organisations (INGOs) operating in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The growing role of INGOs in Nigerian social development, education, and humanitarian response raises important questions about their organisational management capacities, particularly in the area of strategic planning. The study employs a mixed-methods design, using structured questionnaires administered to 50 executive directors and programme managers of INGOs registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Abuja, supplemented by in-depth interviews with 10 INGO leaders. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Findings indicate that fewer than half of sampled INGOs have formalised strategic plans, and those that do often fail to integrate Islamic values-based frameworks into their planning documents. Monitoring and evaluation systems are largely absent, and fundraising strategies are predominantly reactive rather than proactively planned. The study recommends the development of an Islamic organisational management toolkit tailored to INGO contexts, capacity-building programmes in strategic planning and M&E, and the establishment of an Abuja-based Islamic NGO network for peer learning and coordination. These findings are relevant to development practitioners, faith-based organisation donors, and regulatory bodies overseeing NGO governance in Nigeria. Keywords: strategic planning, Islamic NGOs, organisational management, Abuja, FCT.