The Foundation is active world-wide with about 30 regional and country offices. It is active in Nigeria since 1994 and established a Nigeria Country Office in Lagos in May 2002. Today, the Nigeria and West Africa programmes of the Heinrich Boell Foundation (hbs) are run from its main office in Abuja, whilst it maintains a liaison office in Lagos. Programmes on sustainability, women’s rights and good governance form the core of the Foundation's work in Nigeria.
hbs Nigeria & West Africa supports activities that aim to identify greener development options, which would include growth models that promote responsible use of natural resources in times of increasing climate stress. These models would be gender sensitive and socially inclusive. Through its various activities such as publications, conferences, social media debates or public events, hbs want to contribute to a debate that links national and international concerns and issues, especially in the areas of resource politics and climate change.
hbs co-operates with Nigerian partner organisations, both at the grassroots and policy-making levels, with politically active citizens and with government at various levels. The Foundation sees its role as offering a platform for dialogue on greener development options and inspiring this dialogue from a background of international exposure and involvement in green policy making and implementation.
hbs Nigeria & West Africa organises workshops and media-oriented events on current issues, as well as capacity building workshops for non-governmental organisations exploring new fields of activities, helping to establish networks among themselves and with other actors, and supporting them with practical advice and training.
hbs Nigeria & West Africa receives the major part of its funding from the German Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development. Its work in Nigeria is based on a co-operation agreement with the National Planning Commission of the Federal Government of Nigeria.