Press Release: Buhari Administration Has Invested in Nigeria’s Human Capital Through its Social Investment Programmes – VP Osinbajo
*SIPs: 7 million pupils being fed a meal daily in 22 states, 300,000 Nigerians benefit from CCT – VP Osinbajo
*Says 200,000 unemployed graduates now employed under N-power
*Success of Buhari administration’s SIPs, agriculture has created millions of jobs for Nigerians
Despite the fall in the price of crude oil, the main stay of Nigeria’s economy, and reduced national revenue as a result, at the time it was elected in 2015, the Buhari administration has been able to put in place the largest pro-poor programme in Nigeria’s history, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof. Osinbajo said this on Thursday during the 10th Bola Ahmed Tinubu colloquium held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
In line with the theme of the event, ‘Investing in People’, the Vice President noted that the Buhari administration’s N500 Billion Social Investment Programme was an audacious decision because of the fall in crude oil prices when the administration was elected in 2015.
He said the Federal Government, in line with its determination to curb grand corruption, has made significant strides in improving the welfare of Nigerians and reaching millions of beneficiaries through its Social Investment Programmes.
The Vice President added that the Buhari administration was “determined to change the dominant narrative” about the country.
He said, “We were determined to ensure that the notion of a country rich in all natural resources, but even richer in human capital, but being destroyed daily by grand corruption, and the impunity in the looting of public resources; we had to change that narrative.
“We saw a nation where a few in office had so privatized the commonwealth that, while oil prices were at their highest and we were getting growth figures as high as 7%, the majority of people remained extremely poor. On one of our campaign trips in Zamfara State, Mr. President said, “Look at the eyes of this people,” and of course, we saw the poverty and desperation in their eyes. Then he said, “They expect us to fix this problem of their poverty as soon as we get into office.”
Prof. Osinbajo noted that the Buhari administration has invested heavily, not only in its Social Investment Programmes, SIPs, but also in agriculture, in line with its core objectives to improve security and the country’s economy, in particular the welfare of the people, and curb corruption.
He added that the SIPs have continued to record significant successes because the administration was determined to invest in Nigerians and so improve the economy.
The Vice President said, “So we decided on two things; one to invest heavily in Agriculture; to create jobs in the hinterlands, provide enough food locally and for all of the urban areas. In our agriculture programme, I’m sure that many would already agree that this has been a tremendous success. Several millions of Nigerians have been employed in agriculture. In fact, Mr. President tells the story of his own village where people used to lease out their farms to farmers from Kano. But now, nobody is leasing out their farms anymore. Everybody is on his own farm.
“Secondly we also decided to put in place an audacious Social Investment Programme to the tune of N500 billion, the largest pro-poor programme in our nation’s history, and the largest social safety net, at least in Sub-Saharan Africa. This was despite the fact that by 2015, oil prices fell by over 50% and our production also fell from over 2 million barrels a day to less than 700,000 barrels a day, sometimes even 500,000 barrels in 2016.
“We have seen today the empirical evidence of the successes of this programme, and all of that is evident for us to see and listen to several testimonies and stories. 200,000 jobs for graduates employed under the N-Power programme, 300,000 more waiting to be employed; they have been pre-selected; over 7 million children being fed daily in 22 States so far; beneficiaries of microcredit loans going to about 300,000; and almost 300,000 households benefiting from conditional cash transfers.”
Released by:
Laolu Akande,
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
Office of the Vice President
30th March, 2018
Press Release: President Buhari Condemns Zamfara Killings; Directs Arrest of Perpetrators
President Muhammadu Buhari strongly condemns Thursday’s massacre of innocent persons in Birane village, Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The President commiserates with families of victims of the heinous and inhuman attacks on defenceless citizens which left many injured.
President Buhari directs the Minister of Defence, Brigadier-General Mansur Dan Ali (Rtd) to proceed immediately to the state to undertake an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and report back.
In addition, he directs security agencies to immediately mobilise and deploy their members to the vulnerable areas of the state, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to face the full wrath of the law.
The President assures the Zamfara State government, victims of the mayhem and residents in the state, that the Federal Government will continue do all it takes to support security agencies to secure lives and property, not only in the affected state but all parts of the country.
President Buhari restates his administration’s determination to put an end to the spate of senseless spilling of innocent blood in parts of the country, and calls for restraint to allow the nation’s security apparatus to stem the undesirable trend.
The President prays that almighty God will receive the souls of the departed, and comfort their families.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity)
February 16, 2018.
Press Release: President Buhari Explains Proposed Policy on Grazing Areas, Says No Plan to Colonize Any Part of Nigeria
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja explained that the policy proposed by Federal Government in response to the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country is not meant to colonize any part of the country.
Receiving Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) led by Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, President Buhari said the intention of government is to create grazing locations for cattle rearers, which has now been misconstrued as another form of colonization.
President Buhari regretted that the well-thought out policy of the Federal Government, which was conceived after wide consultations with stakeholders, had been largely misunderstood by a section of the public.
He, however, assured the Catholic Bishops that the Federal Government will continue to explore all opportunities and support initiatives to ensure peace and stability in restive areas.
Condemning recent spate of killings in Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, and Zamfara states, the President said security operatives would ensure prosecution of perpetrators and all those found with illegal arms in the affected areas.
‘‘The impression created that I was sitting in an air-conditioned office and home, enjoying myself while these things happened, is dishonest.
‘‘At every step, I have tried to foresee these problems because I have the experience as a former military officer who commanded three out of the four divisions of the Nigerian army, in Lagos, Ibadan and Jos.
‘‘I am quite aware of the problems we have and I am doing my best to get law enforcement agencies to be on alert,’’ he said.
The President told the Catholic Bishops that he would not be tired of recounting remarkable progress recorded in the areas of security, economy and the fight against corruption.
‘‘We have done very well on security in the North East, when you compare what the condition was before we came in and what it is now.
‘‘On the economy, particularly agriculture, I am very pleased that God answered the prayers of Nigerians who prayed for bountiful harvest.
‘‘People have taken advantage of Federal Government policies and programmes to return to the farm and they have not regretted,’’ he said.
On the fight against corruption, the President reiterated that government would be guided by the law in the investigation and prosecution of all graft-related cases.
‘‘People are being prosecuted systematically with evidence.
‘‘If a permanent secretary has five houses in Abuja, two in Kaduna and one in Borno and Sokoto and he can’t account for the properties and there are bank transactions linking him to the properties, the prosecuting agencies will not have difficulties to make progress on the case.”
On the question of Federal character, the President declared that no ethnic group or political zone has been deliberately marginalised in the appointments made so far.
He, however, added that he would take a second look at areas on which issues have been raised, when a compendium of all government appointments is submitted to him.
In his remarks, Archbishop Kaigama pledged that the Catholic Church in Nigeria would continue to support the Buhari administration and make its contribution to nation-building through prayers, admonitions and assistance to needy Nigerians.
‘‘As the voice of the people, we shall continue to highlight the plight of our people and play our prophetic role of sensitizing the government, thus promoting good governance, national unity and cohesion,’’ Kaigama said.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity
February 8, 2018
Press Statement: Response to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s Letter By The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on January 24, 2018
We have read the press statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the State of the Nation.
For the record, Chief Obasanjo is a patriot, and he has proven this time and time again. We appreciate what he said concerning the Administration’s performance in two out of the three key issues that formed the plank of its campaign: Fighting corruption and tackling insurgency. Specifically, the former President said President Buhari must be given credit for his achievement so far in these two areas. We thank him for this.
Apparently, the former President believes that the Administration does not deserve a pass mark in the area of the economy, which is the third of our three-pronged campaign promises.
We have no doubt that in the face of massive challenges in this area, this Administration has availed itself creditably. We believe that Chief Obasanjo, because of his very busy schedule, may not have been fully availed of developments in the government’s efforts to revamp the economy, which was battered by the consequences of over-dependence on a commodity as well as unprecedented pillaging of the treasury.
Today, most of the indices by which an economy is measured are looking up. Permit me to say, however, that Nigeria would not have exited recession through a mere order or if the Administration had not made use of ”good Nigerians” who could help.
This Administration is making steady progress in its determined effort to revamp the economy, and the results are showing:
* Foreign Reserves have peaked at $40b, the highest level in about four years, and up from $24 billion just a year ago, even though when we came in, the price of oil had crashed woefully.
* According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC), headline inflation has fallen for 11 consecutive months, standing at 15.37% as at Dec. 2017. This is the lowest inflation rate since Jan 2017, and it has met and surpassed the target set for inflation in the Administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
* Our determined implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) has stopped the hemorrhaging of the treasury. Some 108 billion Naira has been saved from removal of maintenance fees payable to banks, pre-TSA. The nation is being saved 24.7 billion Naira monthly with the full implementation of the TSA.
* The elimination of ghost workers has saved the nation 120 billion Naira
* At about 1.8 billion dollars, the capital inflows in the second quarter of 2017 were almost double the $908 million in the first quarter.
* In the wake of a stable Naira and increased investment inflows, Nigeria’s stock market emerged one of the best-performing in the world, delivering returns in excess of 40 percent.
* Nigeria rose 24 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, and earned a place on the List of Top 10 Reformers in the world.
* According to Q3 2017 figures, agriculture export is up year-on-year by 25%, solid minerals exports are up year-on-year by 78%, raw materials exports are up 70% year-on-year and manufactured goods exports are up 22% year-on-year.
* Government agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service are reporting highest ever revenue collection, while JAMB, under the new management appointed by President Buhari in 2016, remitted N7.8 billion to the coffers of the federal government. The total amount remitted by JAMB between 2010 and 2016 was a paltry N51 million!
These positive indices may not have immediately impacted positively on Nigerians, but Nigerians will definitely get a new lease of life a short while from now. This is because the good news from the agricultural sector, which is recording a bumper harvest, will bring down the cost of foodstuffs, especially such staple as rice, and our massive Social Investment Programme will ease the pain of the most vulnerable in the society.
When we assumed office in 2015, some 6 million farmers were involved in rice production. Thanks to the Anchor Borrowers’ programme of this Administration, we have grown that number to over 12 million farmers. The result is that our rice import from Thailand alone has dropped from 644,000 metric tonnes to 22,000 MT in just two years. This is phenomenal.
Apart from rice, Nigeria is also doing well in other grains, especially Millet, Sorghum and Maize. We are now the second largest producer of sorghum after the US, the third in millet after India and our breweries are now enjoying local sourcing of those commodities.
For maize, we are producing 10 million tons while we need about 13 million tons for both human and animal nutrition. Nigeria leads the world in the yam and cassava production. We account for 70% of the world’s yam production. In two years, we hope to be the world’s largest exporter of yam! Overall, our ambition is that agriculture should rise from 25% to 40% of GDP, so that we can banish poverty and overcome our economic anxiety.
Our Social Investment Programme is Nigeria’s most ambitious social welfare programme ever. Currently, 5.2 million primary school children in 28,249 schools in 19 states are being fed daily; 200,000 unemployed graduates have enlisted into the N-power Job Scheme, and a quarter of a million loans already distributed to artisans, traders, and farmers.
Finally, our investment in infrastructure is simply unprecedented. This is because infrastructure is key to faster economic growth and development.
Here is a synopsis of what we have done in this area:
* Power Generation at an all-time high of 7,000mw and all can be transmitted
* RAIL: Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge is on. Lagos-Ibadan sector ready 2019, Kano Kaduna ready 2019; The entire stretch ready 2021; Negotiations on for Coastal Rail covering 15 cities from Lagos to Calabar.
* ROAD: 25 major highways being funded with the N100b Sukuk Bond, and all geo political zones are benefitting equally
This Administration is not unaware of the enormity of the challenges facing the nation, but we are up to the task. We have taken the bull by the horns, and long suffering Nigerians will begin to experience a new lease of life as our efforts yield fruits. We will not go into a state of funk for whatever reason.
On the Herders/Farmers’ clashes, this Administration is determined to end the crisis resulting from this once and for all, not minding the fact that the clashes predate us. we urge Nigerians to have faith in the Administration’s ability to resolve the crisis, and to watch out for concrete measures in this regard.
On whether or not President Muhammadu Buhari should run for another term, it is true that many Nigerians have been calling on the President to run again, while others are opposed to his return.
However, we believe this issue is a distraction for the President at this time. This is because Mr. President spends every waking hour tackling the enormous challenges facing the nation, most of which were bequeathed to his Administration by successive past Administrations.
He is committed to fulfilling the mandate given to him by Nigerians in 2015. And that’s where we are right now!
Finally, we have no reason to believe that former President Obasanjo has any motive beyond the well-being of the nation in issuing his Special Press Statement. We have also taken his admonition in good faith, and we thank him most sincerely for taking time off his busy schedule to pen such a long statement.
Press Release: We Will Deliver On Three-Pronged Campaign Promises – President Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday in Abuja said his administration remains resolute and focused on delivering on the three-pronged promises of securing the lives and properties of Nigerians, halting the pillage of the economy by corrupt public officials, and creating employment opportunities for the youths.
Receiving the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group at the State House, President Buhari said the initial economic challenge posed by recession was already dwindling, with the economy smarting out and posting better results on falling inflation rates, higher foreign reserve and better ranking on ease of doing business.
“If you look critically into the 2018 budget, we have already taken into account key issues of more stable electricity, construction of roads and rails, and the airport concession’’ he said.
The President said the government will work more to accelerate and increase momentum in agriculture, power, gas, manufacturing and processing, while commending the Chinese government for its support in improving infrastructure in Nigeria.
“We send our gratitude to the Chinese for all their support to Nigeria. Since Independence, no country has helped our country on infrastructural development like the Chinese. In some projects, the Chinese help us with 85 per cent payment, and soft loans that span 20 years. No country has done that for us,’’ he said.
The President assured Nigerians that the rising attacks on communities by herdsmen will soon be brought under control by security forces deployed to the vulnerable areas across the country.
He said the unfortunate incident of attacks, which had resulted in loss of lives and properties, had already brought sorrow and hardship on many Nigerians, with the government deeply affected.
President Buhari said the government will continue to strengthen its relationship with the NESG, especially in integrating its recommendations into policies that will improve the livelihood of all Nigerians.
In his remark, the chairman of the NESG Board of Directors, Kyari Abba Bukar, commended the government for the “pragmatic approach’’ in engaging with citizens of Niger Delta region which had translated into steady rise in oil production.
“Your Excellency, we salute your courage in providing support to the states that have had fiscal challenges. We recognise that without the intervention of the Presidency, many state governments would have been unable to pay salaries last year,’’ he said.
Bukar said the outlook on the economy remained upwardly positive, projecting a 3.5 per cent GDP growth, urging the President to pay more attention on the herdsmen attacks, which could reverse the gains recorded in the agricultural sector.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President(Media & Publicity)
January 22nd, 2018
Press Release: The Economist Disowns Publication
The Economist, a London-based magazine, has disowned a publication which claims that Nigerians have shown unprecedented level of patience with President Muhammadu Buhari. The publication has been making rounds on the social media and on some websites in the country, and beyond.
A letter dated January 18, 2018, written and signed by Jonathan Rosenthal, the Africa Editor of the magazine , reads: “It has come to my attention that an article has been circulating on social media and been published on various websites that purports to have been written or published by The Economist.
“The article with the headline ‘The Unprecedented Level of Patience Shown to Buhari’ was not written nor published by The Economist. Any claims connecting it to The Economist are false.”
The Presidency enjoins Nigerians to be very watchful and circumspect about the kind of information they are exposed to, and share, especially in this period when purveyors of fake news abound.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
January 18, 2018
Press Release: We Are Making Steady, Remarkable Progress In Agriculture, Says President Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja said the agricultural sector had witnessed steady and remarkable progress in the last two years, significantly reducing the food import bill of the country.
At a ceremony to receive Letters of Credence from the Ambassadors of Democratic Republic of Greece, People’s Republic of Bangladesh and Republic of Portugal, President Buhari said the commendable performance in the agricultural sector had further fuelled the government’s effort at repositioning the economy, with more focus on export of commodities.
“We are very busy in the agricultural sector, and more Nigerians are getting involved,’’ the President told the Ambassador of the Republic of Bangladesh, His Excellency, Maj. Gen. Kazi Sharif Kaikoband.
President Buhari said the boom in the agricultural sector had also attracted more people, especially younger Nigerians, to pick interest in farming with long term plans for large scale farming and export of products.
In his remark, the Ambassador of Bangladesh commended the President for the courageous steps he has taken in eliminating terrorism in the country.
“We have had the terrorism problem in Bangladesh for more than 36 years,’’ he said, “Bangladesh denounces terrorism in all forms irrespective of colour or country.’’
Kaikoband said education and sports provide new opportunities for improved relations as more Nigerians in Bangladesh are in schools or into sports, especially football.
The President also received Letters of Credence from Her Excellency, Ms. Maria Saranto, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Greece and His Excellency, Mr. Anthonio Pedro Da Vinha Da Silva, Ambassador of the Republic of Portugal.
In separate meetings, the President congratulated the ambassadors on their postings to Nigeria, urging them to use the opportunity to explore the potentials of the country and improve on the good relations that had been built over the years.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President(Media & Publicity)
January 18, 2018
Press Release: All Those Found Guilty in Osborne Towers Scandal Will Be Sanctioned – President Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Abuja said all those found culpable in the Osborne Towers scandal will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.
Receiving a report of the panel established to review the operational, technical and administrative structure of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), President Buhari described the discovery of monies in the flat at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April this year, as an ‘‘unfortunate incident which rightly aroused public interest and outcry.’’
‘‘All the circumstances surrounding the obtaining, keeping custody and disbursement of the funds have been examined by the Vice President’s Committee and all those found to be culpable will be made to account and appropriately sanctioned.
‘‘However, it must be understood that this cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence Agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.
‘‘Suffice it for me to assure all that justice will be done consistent with our anti-corruption policies,’’ the President said.
President Buhari, while commending the Presidential Review Panel on NIA led by Amb. Babagana Kingibe, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, for completing their assignment expeditiously, expressed the hope that the recommendations of the panel and that of an earlier Committee headed by the Vice President to look into the Osborne matter will assist Government in improving the operations of the NIA and the overall National Security architecture.
‘‘Your Panel’s recommendation, informed as they are by your collective experience and expertise in this field, should in particular help to reposition the NIA to better perform its vital functions with greater professionalism.
‘‘The Osborne Tower incident and its aftermath has also brought to the fore the need to review the entire National Security Architecture, which has now been in operation as established 31 years ago.
‘‘Once again, I thank you very much for undertaking this national assignment, ’’ he said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was present at the presentation of the report by the panel which has Chief Albert Horsfall, Amb. Zakari Ibrahim and Amb. Ezekiel Oladeji, as members.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
December 19, 2017
Press Release: Working Together Will Boost Economic, Technological Growth, VP Osinbajo Tells Young Innovators
Nigeria’s youths will achieve more if they collaborate more on projects that will benefit them and also boost the nation’s capacity in innovation and technology, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof. Osinbajo said this when he received a delegation of young Nigerian innovators and beneficiaries of grants from the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project, an initiative of the Federal Government under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which is supported by the World Bank and the DFID.
In furtherance of the Buhari administration’s economic empowerment initiatives, the project empowers young Nigerian innovators and entrepreneurs with sustainable and innovative business models that will create more jobs for Nigerians and contribute to the nation’s economic growth.
“I am happy that everyone is a co-founder; it speaks to what we say about collaboration and working together, and also with international players,” the Vice President said.
At the meeting, the young entrepreneurs showcased their business models during short presentations to Vice President, who commended them for their efforts and engaged them with questions on the sustainability of their laudable projects.
It will be recalled that the innovators were selected following the Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD), a technological innovation competition organised by the Presidency earlier in the year.
Also, at the meeting was the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator of the GEM Project, Mr. Ugo Ikemba, thanked the Vice President for all the support the Buhari administration has given to the project since its inception. He said the project will continue to find platforms to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by enabling them get more access to funding.
In the same vein, the Director-General of Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Jelani Aliyu, thanked the Presidency for providing leadership that supports and empowers young Nigerians to dream and innovate.
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
18 December, 2017
Speech: President Buhari’s Address at the International Climate Change Summit in Paris
I would like to thank His Excellency Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France, the United Nations Secretary-General and the President of the World Bank Group for convening this high-level Summit on the issues of financing climate actions and aligning financial flows in order to reach the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The adverse impacts of climate change such as temperature rise; erratic rainfall, sand storms, desertification, low agricultural yields, drying up of water bodies like Lake Chad, gully erosions and constant flooding are a daily reality in Nigeria. This reality is most felt by the highly vulnerable communities who lack the capacity to cope.
Excellencies
Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, we have been strengthening our national efforts towards the implementation of the Agreement and the Marrakech Call for Action. We have already ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2017 and, thus, we have pledged, under the Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce our emission by 20% by 2020 and 40% by 2030.
In our efforts to deliver on these pledges, we are tightening the existing governance structure in Nigeria for more effective implementation of climate change activities, including the additional responsibilities that are consequent on the adoption of the all-encompassing climate change treaty.
In collaboration with the European Union, we have also developed a robust National Monitoring, Reporting and Verification framework to meet the Agreement’s requirements. Further, Nigeria has developed the Sectoral Implementation plans for some priority sectors; namely: Oil and Gas sector, Agriculture and Land use, Power, and Industrial Energy Efficiency. For each of these sectors, we have assessed and selected key policies and measures that would enable the country to meet its commitments based on their cost effectiveness, poverty reduction and mitigation, and job creation potential.
We have considered the feasibility of implementation, potential to deliver short-term results, gender and social inclusiveness, enhancing healthy environment and minimal impact on land use and deforestation, as well as environmental benefits.
Actualising these plans over the next 15 years, Nigeria on its own will achieve 20% emissions reduction below Business As Usual. With international support, we can achieve 45% emission reduction by 2030.
Excellencies
Nigeria recognizes that ensuring sustainable funding is a major constraint in efforts to implement the Nationally Determined Contribution. To respond effectively to climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges, critical mass of financial resources beyond what we can provide from our national resources will be required.
We have embraced the issuance of the green bond as an innovative and alternative source of projects funding that would help reduce emissions and provide robust climate infrastructure, such as renewable energy, low carbon transport, water infrastructure and sustainable agriculture in line with the Paris Agreement.
But we cannot do this alone. While we have ambitious plans, having just come out of recession, we are under no illusion of the challenges that we face in Nigeria. Recalling that the success of COP21 was hinged on the strategic“$100 billion by 2020”, it is therefore pivotal for countries like Nigeria for the promise be kept if we are to meet our Nationally Determined Contribution obligations. Simply, we cannot implement our Nationally Determined Contribution without adequate financial, technical and capacity building support from the developed countries.
And this support must be sustained on a long term basis. The changes that Nigeria, and other developing countries need to make cannot be undertaken overnight. Indeed, we require some fundamental restructuring of our economy. In this process, technology will be a powerful tool to simultaneously address climate change and advance development.
In Nigeria, Government is actively promoting technologies and practices such as sustainable land management, climate resilient agriculture, water efficiency, clean energy, and skills for reducing greenhouse gas emissions among others. Sustaining these efforts will also require external support.
We need to accelerate Research and Development on facilitating Access to Climate Friendly Technologies, through technology pooling and collective approach to financing Research and Development, regulating restrictive practices in licensing agreements and anti-competitive uses of Intellectual Property and International Declaration on Climate Technologies.
In Nigeria, we are looking at insurance-based proposals to deal with loss, damage and adaptation to the poor, vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups. Risk mitigation through insurance must benefit those groups who currently have negligible access to any form of indemnity coverage. Vulnerable groups will also benefit from new technologies and ways to make insurance schemes affordable, including through long term premium support.
In the circumstances, Nigeria would require support from the international community on the following:
- A long term solution for a source of clean power, which can be achieved through private investments to create economic competitiveness for industrialization, job creation and agricultural programmes throughout the country;
- The inclusion of Nigeria in Climate Regional Programmes, especially strong financial support to our planned project for the replenishment of the Lake Chad. This long term solution will ensure sustained livelihood for rural and urban communities, and permanently address the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism and terrorism, and stem illegal migration especially of our youths abroad.
Excellences, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
I look up to the developed countries to jointly take a leading role in mobilising support for this action plan. However, addressing the challenges of climate change should be pursued within the framework of the General Assembly of the United Nations by anchoring efforts on assisting developing countries to meet their Sustainable Development Goals aspirations and Nationally Determined Commitment.
I thank you.