Nigeria requires $350bn to meet SDGs – Report
The 2018 report of the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS), the latest so far, has revealed that Nigeria will require about $350 billion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs targetted for 2030.
According to the survey, the current estimate of public sector gap is estimated at $100bn.
Independent Develooment Consultant, Dr. Davis Omotota, who disclosed this during a media dialogue organised by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said the poverty rate in Nigeria is on the increase because the production of children is higher than income generation.
Speaking on the topic: “Nigeria’s progress towards the SDGs, why Nigeria may not meet the target”, he said Nigeria needs a large chunk of money to achieve the SDG goals.
Quoting the report, Dr. Omotola said about 54 percent of Nigerians are poor and living below $1.9 per day.
“In 2018, 5.4 million new entrants entered the labour market with only 0.5 million created in that year with an average of 14794 new entrants daily.
“Two thirds of Nigerian households have access to an improved source of drinking water while every 74 percent of urban household and 58percent have access to improved source of drinking water”.
To address the challenges, the report recommended that Nigeria must address the challenges of data and appropriate disaggregrated data.
He said: “Nigeria should work with the right agencies to capture accurate data to improve monitoring.
“Making poverty a history through vigorous pursuit of the presidential plan of lifting one million Nigerians from poverty in the next 10 years.
“Exploitation of the African free trade agreement to increase investment through trade”.
On his part, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, stated the importance of data collection and dissemination in policy making and evaluation.
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He said: “Data collection and dissemination are essential elements to both policy making and evaluation function.
“These surveys have been instrumental in strengthening national statistics capacities, highlighting and filling gaps in quality data, monitoring and tracking progress toward national and international development goals like the SDGs.
“The survey assist in identifying emerging issues and disparities among groups in societies.
On his part, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, covering Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom states, Dr. Guy Marie Modeste, said that Nigeria still faces the challenges of data in its usage to tackle its demographical growth.
He said: “We are facing critical stage as regards demographical growth, many children are left behind, and we need to ensure that no child is left behind”.
