There is growing consensus that, to be effective, public
sector reform (PSR) programmes, and indeed development
interventions generally, need to move away from an
international ‘best practice’ model towards one more
attuned to ‘best fit’. This shift has major implications for
PSR assistance, including the need for detailed political
analysis in its design, implementation and monitoring; the adoption of problem-driven approaches; drawing on local knowledge; and allowing for flexibility and
experimentation throughout.
Nigeria is one of the UK Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) largest governance portfolios, and the State Partnership, Accountability, Responsiveness and Capability (SPARC) programme is one of its central components. This study assesses how the SPARC programme functions in light of recent shifts in PSR thinking and practice, and considers lessons for future governance reform programmes.
Victoria Chambers, Clare Cummings and Hamish Nixon