The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has called for increased budgetary allocation and strategic partnerships to accelerate efforts aimed at lifting the country’s poorest citizens out of poverty and making them economically viable.
Doro made the appeal while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Economic Summit Group during a courtesy visit to his office on Friday in Abuja.
In a release signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Janet McDickson Noah, the minister stressed that inadequate financing remained the biggest obstacle to achieving the ministry’s target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2029.
He urged NESG to support the Ministry with independent costing and analytical studies to strengthen advocacy for increased funding and policy support.
He noted that credible, data-driven projections from reputable institutions would enhance decision-making and attract broader support.
Earlier, the NESG leader, Seun Ojo, reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth and evidence based policymaking, describing its role as a “dialogue partner, connector, accountability partner and technical partner.”
She emphasised NESG’s long-standing collaboration with the government since 1993, highlighting its annual economic summit and policy reports as key platforms for reform advocacy.
Also speaking, the Head of Research and Development at NESG, Dr. Joseph Ogebe, noted the recent gains in macro-economic stability, including improved GDP growth, rising foreign reserves and reduced fiscal deficits.
He described the period from 2026 to 2029 as Nigeria’s “consolidation phase,” urging sustained efforts to curb inflation and accelerate structural reforms in agriculture and manufacturing to drive job creation.