President Bola Tinubu has unveiled five major social and economic development programmes valued at about $3.05 billion to reduce poverty, strengthen community resilience and improve access to healthcare, education and social protection across Nigeria.
The programmes were launched at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where the President was represented by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.’
The initiatives, largely financed by the World Bank, are designed to ensure that the benefits of ongoing economic reforms translate into improved living standards through investments in healthcare, education, community development and support for vulnerable Nigerians.
Speaking at the event, Oyedele said the interventions reflect the administration’s commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens, empowering communities and building the country’s human capital. He added that recent improvements in Nigeria’s economy provide a solid foundation for expanding inclusive growth.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, described the programmes as a coordinated response to poverty, rising living costs and human capital challenges, noting that they align with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the education component of the programme will benefit nearly 30 million pupils, support about 500,000 teachers and improve learning conditions in approximately 65,000 public schools nationwide.
The largest allocation under the package is the $1.5 billion HOPE programme, which will fund reforms in governance, primary healthcare and public education. Of this amount, about $570 million will strengthen primary healthcare services, while approximately $562 million will support improvements in the education sector.
An additional $1.25 billion has been allocated to the NG-CARES programme to support smallholder farmers, vulnerable households, small businesses and community livelihood initiatives.
The package also includes a $300 million SOLID programme aimed at helping internally displaced persons and host communities build sustainable livelihoods and strengthen long-term resilience.
The World Bank, Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly pledged their support for the successful implementation of the programmes, which are expected to contribute to poverty reduction, improved food security and stronger human capital development across the country.
