By Gom Mirian
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that a staggering 63 per cent of Nigeria’s population is grappling with deprivation.
This figure includes a shocking 70 million children, according to Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Nigeria Representative who made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said this while citing a report at a two-day policy and programmatic dialogue workshop on Nigeria’s poverty profile and social register in partnership with Save the Children, the Ministry of Finance, and other social protection development partners to redefine Nigeria’s poverty profile and expand social protection across the country.
The partnership is aimed at expanding Nigeria’s social register and establishing a robust, inclusive, and responsive social protection system as well as brainstorming on the poverty and vulnerability situations in the country to chart possible solutions.
Munduate said she has personally witnessed the menace of poverty across the country and its toll on several aspects of people’s lives, including education.
“From Lagos to Sokoto, I have met individuals like Tutu, a struggling single mother, and Umar, a child deprived of education, who personify the reality of our poverty statistics.
“Amid global challenges such as oil price fluctuations, insecurity, socio-economic disparities, and pandemics like COVID-19, poverty is further gripping our people, indicating a dire need for effective social protection interventions. This meeting, hence, symbolises hope for a future where every Nigerian feels recognised and safeguarded.
“The essentiality of a comprehensive register to reach those most in need can’t be overstated. I’m grateful to the Social Protection Development Partners Group, our unwavering government, and NASSCO for strengthening the National Social Register, a significant step towards our goal,” she said.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, in his remarks at the event, said poverty and vulnerability remain pressing challenges facing Nigeria.
Akume who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Esuabana Nko-Asanye, said it was crucial to recognise the impact of the issues of poverty and vulnerability on Nigerian citizens.
“Poverty and vulnerability remain pressing challenges in our country, and as we gather here today, it is crucial to recognise the impact of these issues on our fellow citizens. Despite progress in reducing poverty rates in recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with new challenges, pushing approximately 63per cent of our population into multi-dimensional poverty of which almost 70 million are children.
“This setback emphasises the urgency to strengthen our efforts in mitigating these issues and improving the lives of millions of Nigerians,” the SGF said.