Sixty-three percent of Nigerians remain multi-dimensionally poor, according to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
Adefulire made the statement during an advocacy and sensitisation campaign in Kano and Ondo States, noting that the global community was lagging behind in achieving the SDGs.
According to her, “The global community is lagging behind in efforts to attain the SDGs; and Nigeria is facing various challenges. While the country is committed to achieving the SDGs, but we’re faced with issues such as Triple-C Crisis: Covid-19, 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 geo-political zones. Multi-dimensional poverty is higher in rural areas, and 65% of poor people live in the North, while 35% live in the South. Therefore, it’s imperative for all stakeholders, particularly State and local governments, to accelerate progress.
“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”.
She emphasised 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 ‘Multi-dimensional 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 geo-political 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.
Governors Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of Ondo and Abba Kabir-Yusuf, of Kano State pledged their commitment to achieving the SDG goals.
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.
