Over 133 million Nigerians still swimming & wallowing in abject poverty —Princess Adejoke, Senior Special Assistant on SDG

Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, has called for more action to end hunger, poverty and attain goals.

Sixty-three per cent of Nigerians remain multi-dimensionally poor, according to Adefulire made the statement during an advocacy and sensitization campaign in Kano and Ondo states, noting that the global community was lagging behind in achieving the SDGs.

She emphasized the need for state and local governments to double their efforts to achieve the goals, particularly in areas such as poverty reduction, healthcare and education.

Adefulire’s statement is backed by recent reports, including the Multidimensional Poverty Index Report (2022) and the National Bureau of Statistics’ Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Report (2022).

The reports show significant disparities in poverty levels across states and geopolitical zones, with the north having a higher poverty rate than the south.

The Presidential aide urged all stakeholders to work together to achieve the SDGs, stressing the importance of collective action to address the challenges facing the country.

Adefulire said: “The global community is lagging behind in efforts to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, and Nigeria is facing various challenges.

”Therefore, it’s imperative for all stakeholders, particularly state and local governments, to accelerate progress.

“Nigeria is committed to achieving the SDGs, but we’re faced with issues such as Triple C Crisis – COVID, Climate Change, and Conflicts, which have put implementation off-track globally. Only 15% of SDGs targets are on track as of 2023.

“In Nigeria, 63% or 133 million people are still multi-dimensionally poor, with poverty levels varying significantly across states and geopolitical zones. Multidimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, and 65% of poor people live in the north, while 35% live in the south.

“The Federal Government has demonstrated strong commitment to implementing the SDGs, and we need sub-national governments to match these efforts. Institutional frameworks have been established to guarantee effective implementation, but we require a whole-of-society approach to achieve the SDGs.

“As we approach the 2030 deadline, we must recommit to accelerating SDGs’ implementation, especially at the state and local governments level. We need expertise and resources from all sectors to deliver on the SDGs.

“The SDGs require a whole-of-society approach and clearly cannot be achieved with stand-alone policies and projects. They must be carefully integrated into national and sub-national policies and development plans.”

Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state pledged their commitment to achieving the SDGs.

Aiyedatiwa stated: “I am confident that through seamless collaboration and innovation, we can make significant progress towards achieving the SDGs at the sub-national level.

“We recognize the importance of these goals and are actively working to integrate them into our policies. Together, let us build a future that is sustainable, equitable, and prosperous for all.”

On his part, Kano State governor, Yusuf, who was represented by Shehu Shegagi, expressed commitment to delivering on the targets of the SDGs, leaving no one behind.