What determines participation in multi-stakeholder partnerships? Assessing sustainability awareness and knowledge

Multi-stakeholder partnerships (MSPs) are widely promoted as essential for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, their implementation is influenced by contextual factors, including stakeholder awareness. Yet while MSPs have been extensively researched as a participatory governance mechanism, there are limited studies examining the impact of sustainability awareness and knowledge on stakeholder participation in MSPs. This study, therefore, examines the impact of sustainability awareness on stakeholder participation in MSPs in Nigeria, focusing on the issue of climate change. Through a survey of 399 MSP participants, we found high overall climate change awareness but varied perceptions of its impact. Though stakeholders were moderately aware of climate policies, awareness of its implementation at the local level was limited. Furthermore, while there was general understanding of SDG interactions, specific linkages among the goals remained unclear. These knowledge gaps could limit local level stakeholder participation and result in misalignment of MSP agenda with local priorities, thereby hindering SDG implementation at the local level. Consequently, the study recommends strengthening MSPs as knowledge-sharing platforms, enhancing sustainability literacy, and fostering MSPs that are local in design with clear link to global sustainability framework. While these recommendations offer a roadmap for enhancing stakeholder participation in MSPs for acceleration of SDGs, it is essential to acknowledge the need for a robust meta-governance framework that would facilitate sustainability awareness and knowledge at the local level for effective local level stakeholder participation in MSPs. This study contributes to the literature on the role of MSPs as central mechanisms for enhancing participation in the SDG process, particularly at the local level in the sub-Saharan African region.