FG unveils Child-Centred National Development Plan, strengthens partnership with UNICEF
Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria Wafaa Saeed to her left, the Permanent Secretary FMBEP Dr. Deborah Odoh to her right and other relevant Stakeholders at the FGN/UNICEF annual Partner meeting Friday in Abuja.
Orisemeke Benjamin
The Minister of State, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Doris Uzoka-Anite, has announced that, for the first time in a generation, Nigeria’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2026–2030 is being developed with children at its core.
The Minister disclosed that with the support of UNICEF, the Ministry has recorded significant milestones that enhance its capacity to plan, budget, and deliver impactful outcomes for children across the country.
She made this known during the FGN/UNICEF annual partners meeting held in Abuja, today.
She further revealed that, following the launch of the Nutrition 774 Initiative, the Federal Government has also introduced a revised National Social Protection Policy. The policy provides a comprehensive framework to reduce poverty, strengthen social safety nets, and improve public financial management capacity across all states.
According to the Minister, the NDP 2026–2030 recognizes that investing in children is not merely a social obligation but a strategic economic priority. She emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to fully integrating child-focused priorities into national budgets, sectoral plans, and performance frameworks.
“We envision a Nigeria where every child, regardless of birthplace, has the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are building a $1 trillion economy driven by the talent and productivity of all Nigerians, including the youngest and most vulnerable,” she stated.
The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, reiterated the organization’s commitment to prioritizing the most vulnerable populations. She emphasized the need to improve efficiency in resource deployment, enhance safety and security systems, and discourage unsustainable investments in national systems.
She charged the younger generation saying they have the ability to drive change and shape the future as they are also partners in this journey.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Deborah Odoh, highlighted key achievements under the Nutrition and WASH Convergence Programme—a joint initiative of the Federal Government and UNICEF launched in 2025. The programme integrates nutrition, water, sanitation, and education interventions across 200 high-burden communities in four states.
She noted that preliminary findings indicate a 15 percent reduction in open defecation rates and improved school attendance among girls in targeted communities.
Dr. Odoh also disclosed that the completion of the 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey provides critical baseline data to guide the implementation of the NDP 2026–2030, particularly its child-focused targets, and to inform future resource allocation.
She assured stakeholders that the Ministry is addressing gaps in the national data architecture to enable more precise, evidence-based policymaking. Despite existing challenges, she said the Renewed Hope Medium-Term National Development Plan 2026–2030 offers a robust framework aligning the activities of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, with child welfare outcomes as key performance benchmarks.
Earlier, the Director of the International Cooperation Department, Samson Ebimaro, represented by Deputy Director Yakubu Abdullahi, reaffirmed the strong partnership between the Ministry and UNICEF. He noted that the collaboration is rooted in a shared commitment to the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of every Nigerian child.
He added that the meeting serves as a strategic platform to further strengthen cooperation and deepen existing partnerships between both institutions.
