“I realise now that engaging Atos Consulting through DFID was a unique experience. They have supported us to take the lead and they understood very quickly what we wanted to do and then ran with it” Senior Special Assistant to the President, Nigeria
Between 2005 and 2008 Atos Consulting successfully implemented a £6.6 million programme for the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Presidency of Nigeria to start rebuilding the country’s core services.
Business Challenge
- Nigeria is one of the world’s major oil producers, yet there is vast inequality with over 70% of the population living below the poverty line.
- The country is a federal republic comprising 36 states and one Federal Capital Territory. Prior to the project there were 31 core ministries and over 700 government agencies and parastatal organisations.
- The overall aim was (and remains) to make government services far more responsive to the legitimate demands of Nigerian citizens, especially the poor.
Solution
- In very challenging circumstances, working across a large geographical area with numerous agencies and complex priorities, Atos Consulting helped Nigeria transform its public institutions.
- The process introduced concepts of customer service and accountability for the first time to previously demoralised public servants, and then transferred the structures, skills and knowledge needed to sustain services. In total, we collaborated with over 5,000 public servants to deliver projects that demonstrate the practical possibilities of positive change.
Benefits
Example of benefits realised:
- Average waiting times reduced from three hours to 15 minutes, bringing benefits to approximately 30,000-40,000 patients a year in each hospital
- Between 90 and 150 minutes of doctors’ time freed up daily, amounting to an extra ‘half-a-doctor’ in each hospital
- Process improvements in hospitals and the introduction of triage nurses, dramatically improving the quality of care and potentially saving many lives
- Confidentiality arrangements introduced in 30 police stations for witnesses or victims to give evidence in privacy and free from intimidation
- A reduction from 92% to 40% in the numbers of drivers without insurance
Not only is each project sustainable in its own right, but projects are now being replicated throughout Nigeria with little or no additional resources needed. This ambitious programme has contributed directly to DFID’s strategic goals. It has laid the foundations for the future by transforming the aspirations of citizens and public servants across Nigeria, and it has turned the promise of change into reality.
 Download Full Case Study
|