UN Urged to Bolster Support for Nigeria’s Economic Reforms
By Patience Ikpeme
Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has urged the United Nations (UN) system to be more deliberate in demonstrating its support for the federal government’s ambitious economic reforms.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Ms Fatou Haidara, Bagudu expressed disappointment that the UN has been slow to rally behind the Bola Tinubu administration’s bold initiatives to revitalize the nation’s economy and put it on a sustainable growth trajectory.
“Over the past year, Nigeria has undertaken what we consider very bold and courageous reforms, almost at risk to our leadership. But we don’t think the system, particularly the United Nations system has responded fast enough,” Bagudu stated, emphasizing that the lack of strong UN support could discourage other developing countries from embarking on much-needed economic reforms.
The minister argued that many developing nations feel the UN is deviating from the founding principles and expectations of its member states, a sentiment that was raised at the recent Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Uganda. Bagudu urged Haidara to convey this challenge back to the UN leadership, in the hope that the global body would take concrete steps to address the growing disconnect.
“We are telling you this so you can find a way of communicating the challenge or doing something about it,” Bagudu said, emphasizing the need for the UN to demonstrate its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s reform agenda.
In her response, Haidara acknowledged Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with UNIDO, dating back 40 years, and expressed the organization’s appreciation for the country’s contribution to its programs. She revealed that UNIDO had recently developed the ‘Agenda 2063,’ a strategic framework aligned with the developmental priorities of African leaders.
Haidara also discussed UNIDO’s Program for Country Partnership (PCP) with Nigeria, which she said would form the basis for further engagement and support. The minister thanked UNIDO for its assistance to the industrial sector and expressed hope that the UN system would heed the call to step up its backing for Nigeria’s economic transformation.
