The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, has concluded a four-day National Technical Workshop with a High-Level Session. Communiqué Adoption and Press Briefing at the United Nations House, Abuja, marking a significant step in advancing a more coordinated, efficient, and impact-driven approach to humanitarian action and poverty reduction in the country.
The engagement, convened under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, forms part of a broader reform agenda aimed at fundamentally restructuring how humanitarian interventions and poverty reduction programmes are designed, coordinated, and delivered across Nigeria. The initiative reflects the Honourable Minister’s commitment to addressing long-standing systemic challenges, particularly the fragmentation, duplication, and lack of alignment that have historically limited the effectiveness of well-intentioned interventions.
Over the course of the four-day engagement, stakeholders drawn from across government, subnational structures, and the international development community participated in intensive technical sessions and high-level deliberations focused on establishing a more integrated and results-oriented framework. Central to these discussions is the proposed One Humanitarian – One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), which seeks to provide a unified national approach that connects humanitarian response, social protection, and long-term development planning into a coherent system capable of delivering measurable outcomes.
Speaking at the close of the session, the Honourable Minister, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, described the engagement as a defining moment in Nigeria’s journey toward reforming its humanitarian and poverty reduction architecture. He emphasized that while Nigeria has recorded significant investments and numerous interventions over the years, the absence of a coordinated system has meant that these efforts often operate in silos, resulting in limited long-term impact on the lives of vulnerable citizens.
Drawing from practical realities observed across intervention environments, the Honourable Minister underscored the urgent need to move beyond short-term, fragmented support systems toward a structured framework that ensures continuity, accountability, and measurable progress. He noted that the current reform effort is designed not only to improve coordination among institutions but also to ensure that, every intervention contributes to a clear and traceable pathway that moves individuals and households from vulnerability to stability, and ultimately to self-reliance and resilience.
The Honourable Minister further highlighted that the proposed framework introduces a shift in thinking—from managing poverty through isolated programmes to addressing it through a unified, data-driven, and outcome-focused system that aligns stakeholders, optimises resources, and strengthens accountability across all levels of implementation. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working collaboratively with all partners to ensure that the emerging framework reflects global best practices while remaining responsive to Nigeria’s unique development context.
In her remarks, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative and Acting United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, commended the initiative as a bold and forward-looking step, noting that the United Nations system, with its presence across multiple countries and access to a wide network of global expertise and knowledge platforms, is well positioned to support the Ministry in refining and strengthening the framework. She reaffirmed the United Nations’ continued commitment to supporting the Honourable Minister’s vision and working closely with the Government of Nigeria to ensure effective implementation and long-term impact.
In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, expressed appreciation to all participants and partners for their active engagement and valuable contributions throughout the four-day workshop. He noted that the deliberations and outcomes reflect a shared commitment to building a more coordinated, transparent, and effective system capable of delivering tangible results for Nigerians, while emphasizing the importance of sustained collaboration in translating the outcomes of the workshop into actionable results.
In attendance were Honourable Commissioners of Humanitarian Affairs from various states, alongside Directors from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and representatives of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies, key international development partners, including the United Nations system led by the United Nations Development, Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative and Acting United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms. Elsie Attafuah; the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ms. Dimanche Sharon; the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Mr. Arjun Jain; as well as representatives of UNICEF, the World Bank, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), and team from International Alert and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA).
Janet McDickson Noah
Director Information & Public Relations.