Outcome NGA_O_3

UN-Women strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership rooted in a continuous improvement culture

In 2025, the CO strengthened its business model through strategic planning, disciplined performance management, and reinforced ethical leadership. The Country Office achieved 96% utilization of regular resources (core and institutional budget) and 77% utilization of non-core resources, reflecting improved alignment between planning assumptions, resource availability, and delivery capacity. Financial expenditure was supported by 100% compliance with ERM and BCP requirements, ensuring continuity of operations in a volatile operating context. Strategic planning and delivery oversight were institutionalized through routine performance monitoring and review meetings. All donor narrative reports were submitted on time (100%), with over 90% receiving positive donor feedback, indicating strengthened credibility, reliability, and transparency in external accountability. Procurement and operational planning were stabilized, with 85% implementation of the approved procurement plan, reducing delays and mitigating delivery risks linked to late contracting and procurement slippages. Ethical leadership and accountability were reinforced through stricter application of corporate policies on financial controls, cost recovery, and partner oversight and the CO maintained full cost recovery on eligible programme costs, safeguarding institutional sustainability while ensuring compliance with UN Women’s direct programme costing policy. Internal controls, audit follow-up actions, and management reviews were used proactively to identify performance gaps and institute corrective actions during implementation cycles rather than post-factum. A culture of continuous improvement was advanced through practical learning loops embedded in planning and reporting processes. Lessons emerging from quarterly reviews, partner performance assessments, and compliance checks were systematically fed into workplan adjustments, sequencing of activities, and engagement strategies all toward a more agile, and ethically grounded business model capable of supporting delivery at scale.

UN-Women strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership rooted in a continuous improvement culture

The office strategically advanced its business model to deliver transformative results at scale by fostering innovation and ethical leadership. 4 leadership and culture initiatives were sustained to promote transformative approaches in management, exceeding the annual target of one initiative, enhancing the office's operational adaptability and capacity to implement innovative, gender-focused solutions, ensuring continuous improvement in service delivery and organizational impact.

UN-Women strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership rooted in a continuous improvement culture

During the reporting year, the CO enhanced its business process through the recruitment of a local firm to conduct partner liquidations. The CO further enhanced processes and reduced recruitment time by half through strategic collaboration with the regional office for candidate longlisting. during recruitment. The CO also streamlined its MOU with government stakeholders like the MWA, engaging them through a single LOA to improve business processes, thereby enhancing efficent delivery.