The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Matthias Schmale, urged political parties in Nigeria to incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into their manifestos, noting that the country is lagging behind in SDG implementation. He made the appeal during a round‑table event with party leaders on Thursday, emphasizing the need to accelerate the limited progress made toward the goals. “Unfortunately, Nigeria is far behind in achieving the SDGs. We hope that what we have signed will accelerate more achievements, but much more needs to be done. Progress must be accelerated,” Schmale said. He added that the UN has agreed on several transformative initiatives that can drive change and build on existing achievements. The discussion aimed to identify each party’s priorities regarding the SDG agenda and the challenges Nigeria must overcome to meet those targets.
Only seven of the 18 registered political parties were represented: the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Action Congress, Young Progressives Party (YPP), Social Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress, People’s Redemption Party, Boot Party, and National Rescue Movement. Party representatives claimed that many of their plans already reflect SDG objectives. Agape Kramen, Head of the Foreign Chapter of the PDP, said the party is ready to tackle poverty, improve education, and increase youth participation in politics, aligning with SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). “Nigeria is a developing country and we have undergone systemic changes that have not been successful. However, the PDP is ready to follow every SDG. We will put everybody in school, establish primary health centres and educational centres in various local government areas, and empower women by helping them develop a proper sense of value,” Kramen explained.
Vidiyeno Bamaiyi, National Secretary of the YPP, highlighted the party’s commitment to SDG 13 (Climate Action). “We are one of the few parties that have robustly addressed climate‑change issues and taken them seriously. In recent climate conferences, we were the only party that sent representatives. Rest assured, if the YPP takes power, climate change will always be a priority,” he asserted.
After the parties spoke about integrating the SDGs into their manifestos, Schmale praised the round‑table as a productive dialogue beneficial to both the UN and the political parties. “Some of you mentioned reflecting the SDGs in your manifestos, which is preferable to having separate plans. Ownership of the goals and their inclusion in manifestos works best not only in Nigeria but worldwide,” he said. He noted that all participants emphasized “leaving no one behind,” underscoring inclusivity and the promise that all Nigerians would benefit from the proposed policies. Schmale welcomed the parties’ pledges to revitalize the economy and lift many Nigerians out of poverty, urging them to focus on the financial aspects of spending to achieve this goal. “Nigeria is a wealthy country that needs a better way of generating resources for state purposes, and there is a need to examine how this wealth is spent to create greater impact,” he concluded.
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