Innovation: The project would address three issues at a time: local governance, integrating early warning systems into local governance, and how both can be utilized in conflict prevention.

Sector/Industry Application: Political Science

Description: Each community has it peculiarities and these peculiarities forms their perception, issues and ways for them to be addressed. National and regional level effort to resolving local issues are not enough to prevent conflict as well as build and sustain peace. Even an attempt by the national level to resolve conflict in fragmented societies can exacerbate conflict. A community-based study of conflict is the whole of this research on integrating early warning and early response (EWER) systems into local governance. Local governance is governmental institutions and informal institutions at the local level ensuring responsive, responsible and accountable governance. To this effect, the study investigates local governance and how EWER can be integrated into it. The study employs a survey and a comparative research design. The theoretical framework relies on System theory and Efficient Services Delivery theory. The method of data collection are primary data which are In-Depth Interview and Key Informant Interview in Benue, Riversand Ondo in Nigeria. Also, secondary data which are journals, books and online resources. This research project provides insight to local governance practice and how EWER systems operates; and also the nexus between local governance and EWER system in Nigeria towards conflict prevention.

Problem: In Nigeria, the roles and functions of local government administrations as stated in the fourth schedule of the 1999 constitution are carried out by the regional governments. This has led to local governments officials to perform task as assigned by these regional governments. This in itself has made local governance a thought and not a solid practice at the local level in Nigeria. EWER is a people-centered initiative and without local governance which is a formal and informal institution relation at the local level, conflict prevention and reduced violence will continue to be an aspiration. One of the elements of EWER is dissemination and communication which does not occur largely between government officials and the people in Nigeria, even at the local level. In summary, there is a need for local governance in Nigeria and for EWER mechanism to be integrated into local governance for conflict prevention.