Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has emphasized the need for collaboration between the State and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in critical sectors such as housing, energy transition, ICT, women empowerment, job creation, and employment. During a meeting with the UNDP Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Yahya, in Abuja, Governor Abiodun stated that these sectors are the key focus areas of his administration’s ISEYA Developmental Pillars.
The governor highlighted the significant progress made by the government in these sectors. The administration has successfully delivered more housing units in the first four years than all of its predecessors combined. The Women Empowerment programs have made great strides in alleviating poverty through small-scale lending. Over 5,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables have been laid to ensure high-speed internet access across the state. The launch of a job portal has facilitated connections between employers and potential employees, with over 150,000 registrations in the first week. The construction of the Gateway Agro-Cargo Airport, featuring the longest runway in Nigeria (4KM), has been completed in record time. Additionally, plans are underway to invest over $400M in a special agricultural processing zone (SAPZ) adjacent to the airport. These achievements have transformed the state and improved the well-being of its people.
Furthermore, Governor Abiodun highlighted the recent introduction of Mass transit buses running on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as part of the state’s energy transition program and climate change agenda. The governor expressed his desire to collaborate with the UNDP to continue realizing the set goals of his administration.
The meeting between Governor Abiodun and the UNDP delegation resulted in an agreement on various areas of support and collaboration. These include the joint development of baseline data and studies for specific sectors, with a particular focus on the welfare of the poor and vulnerable, in line with the State Government’s commitment to achieving the SDG goals. The collaboration also extends to arts and the creative economy, expanding the Ogun State for Women Project, addressing climate change and exploring carbon markets, providing technical and vocational education and training (TVET), empowering communities through mini-grid power solutions, and participating in UNDP’s Jubilee program through the State’s Ogun Teach Initiative and sustainable housing projects, among other initiatives.
Speaking on behalf of the UNDP, Mr. Yahya outlined the organization’s objectives, including poverty alleviation, SDG implementation, deepening democratic governance, and impact measurement. He further revealed that the UNDP is funding a Jubilee Program, aiming to secure placements for 20,000 Nigerians in both public and private sectors, with the organization covering their salaries for one year. So far, 4,000 placements have been recorded, and 5,000 companies have already joined the initiative.
The UNDP’s involvement in Nigeria goes beyond the Jubilee Program. They are also partnering with the Mastercard Foundation to support startups and build a robust tech ecosystem. Additionally, the organization is actively engaged in energy transition initiatives focused on carbon sinks, tourism development, and the construction of innovation spaces within tertiary institutions to foster technological innovation.
