(SINL NIGERIA) The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has sought the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in advancing the Ministry’s efforts to tackle multidimensional poverty, address humanitarian challenges, and reduce the growing number of at-risk and out-of-school children across Nigeria.
Dr. Doro made the appeal while receiving an AfDB delegation during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Minister presented the Ministry’s comprehensive reform agenda, highlighting the proposed “One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System”, a framework aimed at improving coordination among stakeholders, eliminating duplication of interventions, strengthening data management, and enhancing service delivery to vulnerable populations nationwide.
He also outlined plans to establish a National Poverty Data Lab, strengthen the National Social Register, develop a unified beneficiary management system, and implement a Poverty Graduation Pathway designed to support sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment for vulnerable Nigerians.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, underscored the critical role of strategic partnerships in achieving the Ministry’s mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty and expanding social protection programmes for vulnerable groups.
Olusanya reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborating with development partners to deliver impactful and sustainable interventions across the country.
Responding on behalf of the AfDB delegation, the Operations Support Manager of the Bank and leader of the team commended the Ministry’s reform initiatives, particularly its emphasis on good governance, data-driven interventions, and beneficiary tracking systems.
The AfDB described the proposed reforms as transformative and consistent with the Bank’s development objectives, noting that the initiatives have the potential to significantly improve the effectiveness of poverty reduction and humanitarian programmes in Nigeria.
The delegation also expressed readiness to review the Ministry’s proposals and explore potential areas of support through available financing and technical assistance mechanisms.
In addition, the Bank provided updates on its ongoing interventions in Nigeria, including programmes targeting at-risk children and social protection initiatives.
The meeting was attended by directors of the Ministry and aides to the Minister.
