The executive director of the Institute of Negotiators, Community and Social Development Experts (INCOS-DE), Dr Kunle Yusuff, has declared that Nigeria and most developing countries lack the expertise to access over $40 trillion in global grants and development funds set aside by international partners and philanthropists for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change interventions.
Speaking in Abuja at the induction of newly certified Executive Experts and Development Practitioners of INCOS-DE, Dr Yusuff said more than 345 global organisations currently manage these funds but cannot disburse them effectively due to the absence of qualified experts in many developing countries.
He said that between now and 2030, about $17.5 trillion is projected to be spent globally on climate change initiatives. Meanwhile, $15 trillion has been allocated for SDG-related projects, with an additional $20 trillion earmarked for strategic partnerships and negotiations.
“It’s not just about the quantum of funds available,” he said. “It’s about developing the right expertise. Nigerians and other developing countries must become certified professionals to gain access to global partnership support networks and grant interventions,” he said.
Yusuff said the inability of local actors to meet international certification standards has left vast sums of development finance untapped, undermining national and regional efforts to reduce poverty, expand renewable energy, and strengthen resilience against climate impacts.
Dr Yusuff, whose institute enjoys the support of the federal government, said INCOS-DE has entered partnerships with international institutions such as The Møller Institute, University of Cambridge, Liberty University in the United States, the United Nations and the Merited Institute to build capacity and certify negotiators across Africa.
He emphasised that certification as a development practitioner provides access to a global database of donor agencies, philanthropic organisations and humanitarian networks, opening doors to multi-billion-dollar grant opportunities.
“If you are not certified, you cannot move further,” he stressed. “Certification gives access to databases of donor agencies and philanthropists worldwide who are into humanitarian and development funding.”
