The Federal Government has officially flagged off the One Humanitarian – One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), a landmark national initiative designed to unify and strengthen Nigeria’s approach to poverty reduction and humanitarian response.
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, launched the initiative at a high-level technical workshop held at the United Nations House, Abuja, with strong participation from United Nations agencies, development partners, and key national stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister emphasized that, Nigeria’s major challenge is not the absence of interventions, but the lack of a coordinated and integrated system to deliver measurable impact. He noted that over 63 percent of Nigerians currently face multidimensional poverty, driven by fragmentation, duplication of efforts, and limited data visibility.
Dr. Doro described OHOPRS as a “unified national architecture” that integrates humanitarian relief, social protection, and long-term development into a single, coordinated framework. Built on the principle of “One System, One Register, One Pathway,” the initiative is designed to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in reaching vulnerable populations.
The initiative aligns with the Presidential mandate to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty, leveraging real-time digital systems, harmonized data, and a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
Representatives of the United Nations at the event commended the Federal Government for providing strong leadership in advancing a coordinated national system. They reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through technical expertise, data systems strengthening, and aligned programming that reinforces national priorities.
The UN representatives noted that fragmentation has long limited the impact of humanitarian and development efforts, and described OHOPRS as a timely and strategic platform that will enhance coordination, improve targeting, and ensure that support reaches those most in need.
They further emphasized the importance of partnerships, stating that a unified system anchored on government leadership is critical to delivering sustainable and scalable poverty reduction outcomes.
Central to OHOPRS is the establishment of a Unified National Register and a structured Poverty Exit Pathway, which tracks beneficiaries from vulnerability through targeted support to self-reliance and sustained growth. The system will also be powered by a Poverty Intelligence Lab, enabling real-time analytics and evidence-based decision-making.
The Honourable Minister reiterated that the framework will eliminate duplication, reduce inefficiencies, and ensure that every intervention contributes directly to measurable outcomes.
“This is a defining moment for our nation. We are moving from managing poverty to ending it—through coordination, data, and accountability,” he stated.
The Federal Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to integrating all existing programmes into the OHOPRS framework, strengthening collaboration with development partners, and ensuring optimal use of resources for maximum impact.
The launch of OHOPRS marks a major step toward building a transparent, efficient, and results-driven system that will move millions of Nigerians from vulnerability to prosperity.
Also in attendance were the Honourable Minister of State, Tanko Yusuf Sununu; the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr. Olusanya Olubumi; the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs. Kachallom Daju, mni;
The Statistician General of the Federation, representatives of development partners including World Bank, Innovation for Poverty Action; the Vice Chancellor, Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi; diplomatic representatives from the Embassies of Qatar and Switzerland, and the European Union; as well as representatives of International Alert, ECEWS, Hogins, the INGO Forum, the Kaduna State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, among other key stakeholders.
Signed:
Janet McDickson Noah
Director Information and Public Relations
