Nigeria

In recent years, Nigeria has been characterised by political turbulence, conflicts both in the Niger Delta and Northern Nigeria, and an electricity crisis. On top of this, the country has a public sector on its knees. Nigeria is among the lowest ranked countries on the UNDP Living Conditions Index. With its 155 million inhabitants the country is the largest in Africa and sees itself as "the country with the largest black population in the world". Although GDP per capita is almost USD 2000, 70 per cent of the population lives on less than USD 1 a day.

To Norway, Nigeria has not been a country receiving development assistance in the true sense of the word. The most important economic relationship has been long-standing cooperation within seafood, the maritime sector and oil and gas. The present focus is largely due to the Stoltenberg II government's efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Other focus areas:

• Cooperation in the petroleum sector
• Clean energy
• Good governance
• Human rights, migration and human trafficking
• Election observation

Health

Nigeria will find it difficult to reach the UN Millennium Development Goals, especially where health is concerned. 260 000 children under the age of five and 42 000 women of childbearing age die each year in Nigeria. The average mortality rate of newborn babies is 4.8 per cent and for pregnant women it is 8 per cent. The situation is worst in the northern part of the country.

Norwegian assistance to Nigeria is significantly increasing between 2008 and 2013 as a result of Norway's support for measures to improve health services for mothers and children in four states. 2010 saw an increased involvement by target groups and local communities, but it is still too early to see what impact the projects have.

The plan is to allocate a total of NOK 250 million over a period of five years, from 2008 to 2012. The Norwegian support is channelled through Norad's British sister organisation DFID. Norway's experience with development aid to Nigeria is short. Corruption is widespread in the country. The Embassy's lack of capacity and the deficit of experience in working with Northern Nigeria are reasons behind the DFID collaboration on the health initiative.

Besides DFID, the UN has been Norway's most important partner. However, Norway will reconsider the partnership with the UN due to poor results in priority areas.

Oil for Development

As an oil producing nation, Nigeria is facing enormous challenges. How can the country ensure that the oil wealth will benefit the people – that the revenues are spent on schools, roads, hospitals and poverty reduction projects?

In 2003, the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate initiated cooperation with the Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources on the basis of a letter of intent from year 2000. Norway continues to support the Nigerian oil sector, and the partnership has been furthered strengthened through the Oil for Development programme. Nigeria is one of Norway's main partners in Oil for Development.

Norway's support for good petroleum management is important, since this sector accounts for almost 90 per cent of government revenues and 95 per cent of export revenues. Technical assistance and management advice are important parts of the petroleum cooperation. The Nigerian authorities are interested in cooperating with Norwegian experts, especially when it comes to off-shore oil production. They are also interested in learning from Norway's petroleum experience, for instance how to create local jobs and income. The Oil for Development programme aims at strengthening the management of the petroleum sector, the financial management of the oil revenues and the ability to address environmental challenges related to the petroleum sector.

A review has concluded that the Norwegian support has been valuable, and it has been decided that Oil for Management will continue in Nigeria. In the future, the gender aspect will be given greater emphasis in this programme.

Furthermore, Oil for Development has supported two local organisations in the Niger Delta focusing on environmental issues and civil society capacity building.

Miscellaneous:

• Norway is engaged in an interreligious dialogue through support to the Centre for Interfaith mediation in the Kaduna state.
• Continued support will be given to African Network for Environment and Economic Justice for knowledge building in the management of petroleum revenues in five Niger Delta states.