Economic Reforms Must Translate Into Better Lives For Nigerians – FG

The federal government has declared that ongoing economic reforms must ultimately translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary Nigerians, saying social investments, stronger institutions and human capital development are critical to ensuring that the gains of the reforms reach poor and vulnerable citizens across the country.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, stated this  at the Presidential Launch of the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Additional Financing (NG-CARES AF), the Solutions for Internally Displaced and Host Communities (SOLID) Programme and the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Programmes at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

Bagudu described the launch as another milestone in translating the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into practical interventions that directly impact the lives of Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots.

“It is my honour and privilege to warmly welcome you to this Presidential Launch of these flagship development programmes of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

According to him, the programmes represent the administration’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive and prosperous nation where development opportunities reach every citizen.

He explained that the programmes were carefully designed as strategic poverty and shock-responsive investments to address both longstanding and emerging development challenges confronting Nigeria.

According to the minister, the interventions are aimed at strengthening social protection, expanding economic opportunities, improving human capital outcomes and supporting poor and vulnerable communities nationwide.

Bagudu said the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme builds on the achievements of the parent NG-CARES Programme, a US$750 million intervention implemented from 2021 to 2025, which reached 17.6 million direct beneficiaries across Nigeria.

He noted that the beneficiaries included poor and vulnerable individuals, households, farmers, Nano, Micro and Small Enterprises (NMSEs) as well as communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other socio-economic shocks.

He said the US$500 million Additional Financing would deepen the programme’s impact by strengthening livelihood support, food security, community resilience and social protection systems.

The minister explained that the US$300 million SOLID Programme addresses the challenges facing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and host communities affected by conflict, insecurity and climate-related shocks.

Rather than focusing solely on humanitarian assistance, he said the programme adopts a long-term development approach by restoring livelihoods, strengthening resilience, improving access to social services, supporting local infrastructure and promoting social cohesion.

Bagudu also described the US$1.5 billion HOPE Programme as an investment in Nigeria’s most valuable asset—its people.

He said through its three pillars—HOPE-Governance, HOPE-Primary Healthcare and HOPE-Education—the programme is designed to strengthen governance systems, improve primary healthcare delivery, enhance learning outcomes and support reforms that improve accountability, efficiency and service delivery at the sub-national and local government levels.

He stressed that the true strength of the three programmes lies in their complementarity.

According to him, while NG-CARES builds resilience and strengthens institutions, SOLID restores dignity, opportunity and stability to displaced persons and host communities, and HOPE builds the human capital required for long-term prosperity through investments in health, education and governance.

He said together, the three initiatives form an integrated framework for tackling poverty and vulnerability while creating opportunities for sustainable development.

“They ensure that economic reforms are complemented by social investments, human capital development and targeted support for those most in need. In essence, they translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into measurable results and impact on the lives of poor and vulnerable Nigerians,” he said.

Bagudu said the success of the programmes would depend on effective coordination, accountability and commitment from all implementing institutions and stakeholders.

He commended the World Bank, development partners, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, state governments, implementing agencies and other partners for supporting the programmes.

The minister also urged all implementing institutions to ensure that every intervention is delivered with responsibility and accountability, stressing that the resources are intended to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

“Accordingly, the administration expects the highest standards of transparency, accountability and prudent financial management in the implementation of the programmes,” he added.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the programmes, developed in partnership with the World Bank and development partners, recognise that creating opportunities for Nigerians to realise their potential and access productive employment is central to the country’s development.

He said the initiatives were designed to strengthen resilience, improve livelihoods, expand opportunities and enhance access to essential services.

According to him, the HOPE programmes represent investments in stronger education and health systems supported by more effective institutions capable of delivering results for Nigerians, while the SOLID and integrated interventions are helping to build resilience and strengthen the ability of people to withstand shocks.

Alausa said presentations by ministers showed that the programmes were already delivering tremendous results at scale.

He commended President Tinubu’s leadership, state governments and the institutions involved in developing the initiatives.

The minister also praised the World Bank for its partnership with Nigeria, noting that from its experience implementing similar programmes around the world, committed leadership remains the distinguishing feature of successful programmes.

He said the commitment demonstrated by the President’s administration was already producing visible results.

A presentation on the HOPE Education Programme showed that it is focused on improving the quality of basic education, increasing access to learning opportunities, particularly for the most vulnerable, and strengthening education systems across all Nigerian states.

The programme has been intentionally designed to improve foundational learning outcomes, reduce learning poverty, produce better educated and skilled youth, and serve as a catalyst for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Human Capital Development Agenda.

According to the presentation, the programme is expected to reach 30 million formal and non-formal children by 2029, benefit public school teachers, cover 65,000 public schools, and is supported with US$552 million across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking on the health component, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said one of Nigeria’s greatest strengths is its federal system, adding that the success of the programmes has depended on the partnership between the Federal Government, states and development partners.

He said the World Bank had already highlighted the broader impact of the macro-fiscal reforms introduced by President Tinubu’s administration and was now supporting sectoral reforms through different financing streams working together across the Federal Government, states, local governments and development partners.

According to him, the health sector reforms are anchored on the blueprint unveiled by President Tinubu on December 12, 2023, when state governors signed a compact with the Federal Government, while local governments and development partners also joined the initiative.

Pate said the reforms focus on effective governance, providing efficient, equitable and quality health systems for all Nigerians, including financial protection, unlocking the healthcare value chain, strengthening health security and resilience by improving prevention, protection and response to public health threats.

He said the vision is anchored on One Plan, One Budget and One Report, with support coming from the HOPE-PHC Programme, the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, domestic financing by the Federal Government and sub-national governments.

According to him, collaboration between the Federal Government and states has produced significant gains in the health sector.

He disclosed that more than 3,000 Primary Healthcare Centres have been revitalised, while 1,900 hospitals have been completed through collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments.

Pate added that more than 43,000 women and newborns had been transported through the emergency medical transport system, while 78,000 frontline health workers had been trained.

He further disclosed that visits to Primary Healthcare Centres had increased to 45.5 million per quarter, compared to less than 10 million per quarter previously, describing the development as tangible evidence of the impact of the administration’s health sector reforms.

The World Bank also reaffirmed its support for Nigeria’s development agenda, saying the programmes demonstrate that creating opportunities for Nigerians to realise their potential and access productive employment is central to national development.

The institution said the programmes are designed to strengthen resilience, improve livelihoods, expand opportunities and enhance access to essential services through stronger education and health systems supported by effective institutions.

It commended President Tinubu, state governments, ministers and implementing institutions for their leadership and commitment, describing committed leadership as the distinguishing feature of successful programmes across the world.

The World Bank pledged to continue working with the Federal Government and other development partners to build on the progress already recorded and advance Nigeria’s vision of delivering better education, improved healthcare, stronger livelihoods and greater opportunities for all Nigerians.

World Bank Country Representative Matthew Burges, in his goodwill message, said the flagship NG-CARES, SOLID and HOPE programmes affirm that “Nigeria’s greatest asset is its people,” and are designed to strengthen resilience, expand opportunities and improve access to essential services.

“Through the HOPE series, we are investing in stronger education and health systems, supported by more effective institutions that can deliver results for Nigerians,” he said, adding that the success of such ambitious reforms ultimately depends on “the commitment of the leadership that will allow delivery of results,” which he commended in President Bola Tinubu, participating governors and the ministers of budget, education and health.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Dr. Betros Doro described the programmes as “statements of national intent that no Nigeria, however remote or displaced, is beyond the reach of this government’s care,” and pledged full alignment of his ministry’s “one humanitarian, one poverty response system” to ensure displaced households move “from emergency relief to resilience, to self-reliance and productivity.”

Speaking for the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa (representing the Forum’s chairman) said the launch marks “another key step towards turning the Renewed Hope agenda into tangible benefits for Nigerians,” affirming the 36 states’ commitment to collaborate with the federal government and development partners to “ensure that the promise of renewal is experienced by every Nigerian in every state of the federation.”