The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction (FMHAPR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have expressed interest to collaborate in the area of job creation and poverty Reduction.
The two parties agreed on the collaboration during a courtesy visit on the Honourable Minister Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda by the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie G. Attafuah, on Thursday 3rd July, 2025, at the Ministry headquarters in Abuja.
The Minister said the Ministry is prepared, ready and available for the collaboration. He revealed that there are training items in ware houses across the country and the Ministry is set for partners to train Nigerian youths in different skills to create job opportunities.
The Minister stated that the Ministry is also collaborating with the Industrial Training Fund, State governments in the skill acquisition programme for youths.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Elsie G Attafuah, said she was in the Ministry to pay a courtesy visit, appreciate the leadership of the Minister and explore areas of collaboration. According to her, the Ministry has dual mandate of Humanitarian affairs and poverty Reduction which align with the mandate of UNDP, an Agency established to reduce poverty and inequality.
“UNDP is reflecting on the changing world, a world of vulnerabilities uncertainty, complexities ambiguity , where people are shifting their eyes from the usual development financing. This means we have to do development differently. We are here to understand your vision and what we can do together and support you and the people of Nigeria”.
“UNDP is reflecting deeply on how to offer support to governments in a way that responds to the change in context”.
“In a world where Africa is resetting and repositioning itself, we cannot do the same old way of development, we have to think differently.
She stated that the UNDP is working on the areas of job creation through investing in the ideas of young people. Working in the universities to train 36 youths in 36 states within 36 months. The aim is to assist graduates to create jobs.
The UN agency intends to also set up an AI in the University, first of its kind in Africa with a GPU to power the AI, because AI is the future of development. She also revealed that the Agency is establishing a mining lab in Nasarawa State for job creation.
Other areas the UNDP is working include Energy, Trade, Investment and Finance.
She assured the Minister of the Agency ‘s readiness to work with the Ministry to reduce poverty in the country.
The two parties at the end of the discussion agreed to set up a technical team to draw up areas of collaboration.
Present at the meeting include the National Coordinator National Social Investment Programme Agency Prof Badamasi Lawal, Directors of the Ministry, Special Assistants to the Minister, and other team members from the UNDP.
Signed
Iliya Rhoda Ishaku
Director Information and Public Relations
