By Chimezie Godfrey
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening coordination among humanitarian interventions and expanding social protection programmes to address poverty and humanitarian challenges in the country.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard M Doro, stated this during a meeting with officials of Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Abuja.
Doro said the ministry was promoting collaboration among government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to improve support for vulnerable Nigerians.
He described poverty as one of Nigeria’s biggest challenges, noting that insecurity, displacement, conflict and climate-related shocks had worsened living conditions and placed pressure on humanitarian response systems.
According to him, poverty and insecurity are closely linked, stressing that unemployment and deprivation often increase vulnerability to crime and instability.
The minister said the government was implementing reforms under the “One Humanitarian and One Poverty Response System” aimed at harmonising interventions, reducing duplication and improving accountability.
He noted that fragmented interventions and weak coordination had continued to affect effective targeting and resource management.
“Nigeria’s challenge is not the absence of interventions, but the lack of effective coordination,” he said.
Doro added that the framework would strengthen data integration and improve transparency in the delivery of interventions.
He also called on development partners, donor agencies and the private sector to continue supporting efforts to improve humanitarian and social protection systems.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access, Foyinsolami Akinjayeju, said financial inclusion in Nigeria had increased to about 74 per cent, largely driven by digital payments.
She, however, noted that many Nigerians still lacked savings, insurance, pensions and access to affordable credit, especially women and rural dwellers.