The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed concern over poverty level of ordinary Nigerians, lamenting that 63 percent of Nigerians faces deprivation and other forms of poverty in the country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day policy and programmatic dialogue workshop on Nigeria’s poverty profile and social register Tuesday in Abuja, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Cristian Munduate, said she had personally witnessed the menace of poverty across the country and its accompanying toll in several aspects of people’s lives, including in the area of education.
“From Lagos to Sokoto, I have met individual like Tutu, a struggling single mother, and Umar, a child deprived of education, who personify the reality of our poverty statistics. As of 2022, 63 percent of our population faces deprivation, a disturbing figure that includes 70 million children”, she said.
She, however, applauded various efforts put in place by government and development partners in combating poverty and vulnerability.
Munduate said the workshop provided an avenue to brainstorm on poverty and vulnerability situation in the country in order to chart possible solutions, adding that it was also aimed at expanding Nigeria’s social register and establish a robust, inclusive, and responsive social protection system.
“Our goal is a Nigeria where all citizens, particularly women, children, and the disabled, have access to strong social protections and are not living on the edge of poverty”, she stated.
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said poverty and vulnerability remain pressing challenges facing Nigeria.
Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Esuabana Nko-Asanye, said it was crucial to recognise the impact of the issues of poverty and vulnerability on Nigerians citizens. He lavished praise on UNICEF and all other partners for supporting the organization of this dialogue, adding that its outcome will have a positive impact on the country.
The workshop also attracted other Social Protection Development Partners including Save the Children, Ministry of Finance, European Union, among others.
