By Mustapha Salisu
The African Institute for Solutions and Development (AISD), the development arm of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the institutional capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) through sustained organisational development initiatives.
The commitment was reiterated by the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation of AISD, Professor Aminu Abdu Bichi, who represented the Chief Executive Officer of AISD, Dr. Audu Liman, at the closing ceremony of a two-day training on Introduction to Organisational Development for CSOs and CBOs held at the university in Kano.
Professor Bichi said the training was organised as part of AISD’s responsibility to equipping local organisations with the knowledge and institutional capacity required to become more effective, functional and sustainable in delivering on their mandates.
“This programme came out because of our commitment to developing local organisations’ capacity, particularly organisational development. It is very important that these organisations’ capacity be developed for them to be punctual, functional and work towards achieving their set goals and objectives,” he said.
He expressed satisfaction with the enthusiasm and loyalty demonstrated by participants throughout the training, noting that their eagerness to understand the principles of organisational development reflected the relevance of the initiative.
“I can see dedication of the participating members, particularly in trying to understand the basic concepts and principles of organisational development, which is the hallmark of organisational effectiveness. We are happy to contribute our quota to that,” he added.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Director said AISD would continue to expand its capacity-building programmes in line with its community service mandate and the vision of the founder of Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo.
“Our future plan is that we are determined to improving and coming up with more programmes and activities that will have an impact on the lives of the people. As a university, it is part of our community service effort, and we are trying to actualise the mission and vision of the founder of the university,” Professor Bichi stated.
He encouraged participants to put the knowledge acquired into practice and sustain collaboration to achieve meaningful organisational growth and development.
“Let’s utilise the knowledge, let’s keep interacting and ensure that we achieve our desired results,” he urged.
Delivering the closing remarks, President of MAAUN, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Israr, expressed his sincere appreciation to the AISD team for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment in organizing the impactful training.
He also commended all the participants for their active engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment throughout the programme.
The President further thanked the facilitators, organizers, and partners whose collective efforts contributed to the success of the training.
He expressed confidence that the knowledge and skills acquired during the training would strengthen the capacity of CSOs and CBOs, enabling them to make greater contributions to sustainable community development.
The two-day training, held on 29 and 30 July 2026 at Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria, Kano, was organised by AISD in collaboration with the Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo Foundation. It targeted founders, chief executive officers, executive directors and board members of CSOs and CBOs, with a focus on strengthening governance systems, improving institutional effectiveness and enhancing organisational sustainability.
The training featured sessions facilitated by Dr. Salisu Muhammad, Dr. Musa Abdullahi Sufi, Malam Mukhtari Shitu, Malam Ahmad Muhammad, Malam Farouk, and Isah Garba, who guided participants through key concepts and practical approaches to organisational development and institutional strengthening.
PRIME TIME NEWS REPORTS gathered that, the event concluded with the presentation of Certificates of Participation to all participants in recognition of their successful completion of the programme.