By Vincent Egunyanga, Abuja
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, has said Nigerians have no business being poor.
According to him, this is because of the country’s abundance of human and natural resources.
The Minister stated this at the weekend in Abuja as a Special Guest at the 2024 annual Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO) conference.
He said the paradox of poverty in a wealthy nation and its perspectives present a crucial opportunity to confront the persistent challenges of poverty amidst our nation’s wealth.
He said our focus as a Nation is to change the paradox where inequality persists.
“Nigeria has fertile land, abundant Natural Resources, and bountiful population, yet many still struggle with poverty and food insecurity.”
He said, “To tackle these issues effectively, we need a comprehensive approach aligned with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.” He said, “Undoubtedly, LAPO’s initiative aligns closely with our cooperative Development Objectives through the innovative microfinance model.”
In the end, a 10-point agenda was released, which includes the following: Poverty remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, demanding a comprehensive policy and economic reform agenda. Collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society is essential to empower vulnerable populations through social protection initiatives.
Harnessing Nigeria’s agricultural potential. As a critical pillar of the Nigerian economy, agriculture is vital in poverty alleviation and food security. The forum called for targeted support to smallholder farmers through improved access to finance, infrastructure, and markets to unlock the sector’s full potential. This includes grant support to fresh graduates to engage in commercial agriculture.
Diversifying Nigeria’s economy beyond oil. The forum stressed the need to shift focus from oil dependence towards developing SMEs and the non-oil sectors, particularly agriculture, technology, and manufacturing, to promote inclusive economic growth.
The forum stated that the current presidential system of government is unwieldy and expensive and, therefore, advocated a return to regional government.
It called for deliberate efforts to reduce the high cost of governance and promote accountability. It even urged citizens to engage actively in governance processes and take advantage of local government autonomy to improve grassroots development.
The forum stressed the importance of inclusive policies that prioritize the most vulnerable groups, including women, persons with disabilities, and youth. ActionAid Nigeria and LAPO’s experience supporting community development was cited as a model for bridging inequality gaps.
Participants called for increased government, civil society, and private sector collaboration. LAPO and other development actors were encouraged to foster evidence-based dialogues to shape pro-poor policies and programmes.
