Rasheeda Yahaya
Nigeria has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to inclusive social development and people-centered governance at the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD) held in Doha, Qatar.
Delivering the country statement on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, in a statement by her Special Adviser, Media & Publicity, Mr Jonathan Eze, declared that Nigeria is implementing transformative policies designed to expand opportunity, reduce poverty, and strengthen national cohesion.
“Nigeria fully aligns with the statement delivered on behalf of the African Group. Our vision for social development is guided by the Nigeria Agenda 2050 and anchored on the priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda — focusing on people-centered governance, poverty eradication, human capital development, and inclusive growth,” the Minister stated.
She highlighted the establishment of Regional Development Ministries and Agencies across all six geopolitical zones to drive balanced territorial development, alongside Ward Development Initiatives aimed at ensuring no community is left behind.
Among the flagship reforms, the Minister announced the institutionalization of the National Social Investment Programmes through a standalone agency, with millions of Nigerians benefiting from conditional cash transfers, youth employment schemes, school feeding programmes, and enterprise support. These interventions, she said, are “triggering multidimensional prosperity anchored on a National Social Register.”
In what she described as a “major leap toward efficient service delivery,” Sulaiman-Ibrahim revealed that Nigeria has launched an enhanced National Digital Identity Portal to promote governance efficiency, social inclusion, and transparency. The initiative, she said, “ensures access to public services, ease of travel, and targeted social protection delivery.”
Highlighting youth empowerment as a central pillar of the administration’s vision, the Minister noted that the Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) and the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) are unleashing innovation among young Nigerians, particularly women, while boosting investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and STEM education.
She further disclosed that the government is adopting a lifespan approach to social development, including the introduction of Universal Child Grants, establishment of a National Council for Social Work, and the implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Prohibition Act, 2018 through the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
Under the Renewed Hope Social Impact Intervention 774 (RH-SII774), Nigeria aims to empower over 10 million women in five years, strengthen family systems, and institutionalize care structures through comprehensive social workforce reforms.
The Minister emphasized that the government is also scaling investments in primary healthcare, maternal and child health, early education, and clean energy access, while tackling climate change and promoting environmental sustainability.
“In Nigeria, inclusive social development is not an aspiration but an obligation,” she declared. “It demands shared responsibility, political will, and renewed multilateral cooperation.”
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to the Doha Political Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sulaiman-Ibrahim called for stronger global solidarity to ensure that “every woman, every child, and every family thrives in dignity.”
The Minister concluded by urging nations to uphold social protection as a universal right, and to measure progress not merely by economic growth, but by “human resilience, gender equality, and collective well-being.”
