IPU: Deputy Speaker Advocates for Effective Aid Coordination to Achieve SDGs
By Tom Okpe
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep Benjamin Kalu, has emphasized the importance of optimizing development cooperation to ensure aid effectiveness in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
Speaking on the nation’s approach to development cooperation at the ongoing
Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU, and the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, 2025 Parliamentary Hearing themed: ‘Scaling Up Action for the Sustainable Development Goals:
Finance, Institutions, and Politics,’ in New York, United States, Kalu noted that Nigeria’s strategy aligns with the SDGs ambitions, leveraging aid as a strategic tool for sustainable growth.
He however acknowledged the challenges posed by the Official Development Assistance, ODA, shortfall and disproportionate allocation to humanitarian crises and climate mitigation, according to a statement, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Levinus Nwabughiogu in Abuja on Friday.
He said: “Despite the global ODA, reaching $223.7 billion in 2023, Nigeria still faces gaps in core infrastructure funding.”
READ ALSO: NYSC partners SMEDAN for robust Corps empowerment
To effectively address the challenges, Kalu proposed several strategies, including drafting of legislation to regulate philanthropy and impact Investments’, ensuring aid sustainability and accountability.
The Deputy Speaker also stressed the need for effective aid coordination between donor and recipient countries to ensure aid effectiveness and alignment with national development plans, emphasizing the importance of strengthening parliamentary oversight of aid processes to ensure transparency and accountability in aid allocation and utilization.
He also, reiterated his commitment to promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development through legislative interventions, as Nigeria continues to navigate complexities of development cooperation.
“Nigeria’s approach to optimizing development cooperation aligns with SDGs ambitions, leveraging aid as a strategic tool for sustainable growth. These are the things we have done so far.
“We are looking at aid as a catalyst. Nigeria prioritizes using concessional finance to de-risk private investment in renewable energy, agriculture and digital infrastructure via public, private partnership. But we have noticed ODA shortfall.
“Legislative Framework: The House of Representatives is currently drafting legislation to regulate philanthropy and impact investing, ensuring aid sustainability as well as accountability. In particular, some of the members of staff in the National Assembly have gone through the training to be able to achieve this.
“The question becomes, how do we balance geopolitical fragmentations and aid coordination while ensuring equality, quality, transparency and national ownership. That is the first question. The next one is strengthening parliamentary oversight of aid processes.
“The guiding question is how can parliamentary oversight of the budget and aid processes be strengthened in donor and recipient countries? We are looking at strategies like enforcing transparency mechanism which mandates public disclosure of aid agreements and project outcomes.”
