By Chimezie Godfrey
The Federal Government on Tuesday unveiled a unified national system tagged: One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), aimed at lifting 50 million Nigerians out of poverty over the next five years.
According to the OHOPRS financial architecture for 2026–2030 presented in Abuja, the administration plans to mobilize N16 trillion within the period. The Federal Government will contribute N1.5 trillion, Development Partners N800 billion, Private Sector & Impact Finance N600 billion, while Climate & Global Funds are expected to provide N300 billion annually. The total annual contribution of N3.2 trillion will include support from the World Bank, European Union, United Nations, Bilateral Donors, and Foundations.
The government also announced the launch of the National Humanitarian and Poverty Reduction Trust Fund, leveraging innovative and blended finance, including Climate Financing (Adaptation & Mitigation), Social Impact Bonds, Private Sector Investment, Islamic Finance instruments such as Zakat, Sukuk, Waqf, and Carbon Credit initiatives.
To ensure accountability, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has instituted a strong oversight system encompassing a National Steering Committee, Government + Partners Oversight, Independent Audit Systems, Results-Based Financing, and Real-Time Digital Transparency.
During the flag-off ceremony, Minister Dr. Bernard Doro said OHOPRS addresses multidimensional poverty through real-time data, coordinated response, and a people-centred approach.
He stated: “We put in a lot of money to curb poverty but the impact is not there. Over 63 per cent of Nigerians face multidimensional poverty, and there is chronic fragmentation across MDAs, States, and Local Governments. Nigeria does not lack interventions; Nigeria lacks systems — and that is why OHOPRS is launched. We have been managing poverty, not ending it, and it is time for a change.”
Dr. Doro added: “President Tinubu wants 50 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030. He wants real-time digital accountability and alignment of every stakeholder to a single national system. OHOPRS is designed as a national backbone integrating humanitarian relief, long-term development, and social protection.”
UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Fall, represented by UNDP Head Elsie Attafuah, described poverty as a humanitarian crisis. “With 62% of Nigerians living in poverty and 33 million facing acute food insecurity, there is need for a systems change that integrates humanitarian response, social protection, and economic inclusion,” he said.
Statistics from NBS show that 63% of Nigerians, about 133 million people, are multi-dimensionally poor. Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation, emphasized that no single institution can tackle poverty alone, underscoring the need for collaboration across government, civil society, and the private sector.
He stressed: “High-quality data is crucial for precise targeting and fostering public trust. NBS is committed to enabling system interoperability to ensure seamless data exchange across ministries, agencies, and programs.”