PROJECT CHARTER AS A GOVERNANCE INSTRUMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR PROJECT ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE IN THE NIGERIAN PUBLIC SECTOR

Abstract

The project charter serves as a foundational governance instrument that formalizes the authorization, scope, and objectives of developmental initiatives within public sector organizations. In the Nigerian public sector context, where governance deficiencies have historically undermined institutional performance and accountability, the project charter functions as a critical mechanism for establishing clear lines of responsibility, defining stakeholder roles, and institutionalizing accountability frameworks. The concept of the project charter extends beyond a purely administrative document; it represents a governance architecture through which authority is delegated, performance expectations are established, and institutional accountability is operationalized. Recent scholarship emphasizes that effective project governance, when anchored in comprehensive and clearly articulated project charters, directly enhances public sector performance outcomes. Within the Nigerian context, where public institutions continue to grapple with weak accountability structures, corruption, and inefficient resource allocation, the project charter becomes instrumental in translating governance principles into actionable operational frameworks. The charter's role transcends traditional project management functions; it establishes the institutional legitimacy of projects, clarifies governance relationships, and creates structured pathways for stakeholder engagement and performance accountability. The framework identifies functional arrangements through which governance formation stabilizes into sustained institutional capacity, reorienting institutional strategy away from governance specification and toward the cultivation of implementation conditions capable of generating governance over time. This research demonstrates that institutions recognizing governance as a product of implementation rather than its prerequisite are better positioned to support the iterative process through which projects transition from conceptualization to sustainable institutional integration.