UNDP Assesses Role Of Private Sector In Nigeria’s SDG Journey

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Thursday held an SDGs impact assessment dialogue on harnessing public-private sector partnerships to accelerate the Social Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria.

According to the UNDP, the SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Thursday’s dialogue was attended by stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, and was broadcast globally by Channels Television.

A Senior Economics Advisor at the UNDP, Amarakoon Bandra, said progress on the SDGs had been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. “But I assume that within these challenges, there will be huge opportunities,” he added.

A Ministry of Finance official, Kenneth Kujeli said the federal government is committed to promoting the SDGs, along with its own development plans. “We’ve made some progress with the SDGs,” he noted.

The Special Adviser on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Investments to the Governor of Lagos State, Solape Hammond, stressed that the private sector is critical to the full actualisation of the SDGs. “We do need the private sector,” she said.

Partner and Director at Dalberg, Nneka Eze, noted that there is an inequality in how private sector incentives are applied in Nigeria, a trend which needs to change if the sector is to contribute more to the actualisation of the SDGs.

Vice-Chair, Impact Investment Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma lamented the poor investment conditions in Nigeria as an impediment to the actualisation of the SDGs. “Predominantly, most Nigerians are still stuck on subsistence farming. What deliberate steps has Nigeria taken to drive education, affordable healthcare, housing & all the SDGs?”

Chukwuma added that while Nigeria has huge opportunities, there is a need to create incentives.

Meanwhile, according to Bolaji Balogun, Private Sector Advisory Group, the private sector must be focused on not just profit, but also development.

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