The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning today in Abuja signed a 4-year Programme Country Partnership (PCP) Flagship Strategy (2024 – 2028).
The partnership is aimed at supporting the needs of the Government of Nigeria in promoting and accelerating inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
The move, the first of its kind, is a derivative of the request of the Nigerian Government to UNIDO to enable and fast-track industrial growth and economic diversification in the country.
The signing of the Programme for Country Partnership is regarded as a landmark in UNIDO’s support for Nigeria’s goal of becoming an industrial and economic hub in the West Africa region.
Under the leadership of the Federal Government, the PCP will strengthen existing partnerships and forge new partnerships for the inclusive and sustainable industrial development of Nigeria, with the main objective of contributing to a diversified, competitive, inclusive and sustainable industrial economy.
Speaking on the historic partnership, Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) said:
“UNIDO’s longstanding cooperation with Nigeria has been going on for 40 years now. Our new Programme for Country Partnership with Nigeria represents a new quality of cooperation to enhance the country’s sustainable economic and industrial development. Today we are marking a milestone on the way to unlocking Nigeria’s huge potential to become an economic and industrial powerhouse. Broad-based partnership is the key. Our work together will focus on job creation, enhancing local value addition, special economic zones, industrial policy, building trade capacity and sustainable energy development.”
The PCP is fully aligned to ongoing national, regional and global strategies including the Nigeria Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2021-2025, the Renewed Hope Agenda, Agenda 2063 of the African Union, and the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations and its associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is also aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027.
The programme will support the development of agro-value chains, including those with linkages to the tourism sector, and will also foster industrial diversification and innovation, including through special economic zone development. Cross-cutting components in the area of industrial policy and statistics, quality infrastructure, sustainable energy, and the circular economy, as well as women’s empowerment and youth employment, will ensure a comprehensive approach that addresses the needs of key stakeholders and vulnerable groups.
In order to guide the PCP implementation, the Nigerian government is expected to provide overall leadership and strategic guidance during the 4-year implementation of the historic partnership flagship.
UNIDO will be leading the process of mobilizing funds from donors/partners and provide technical support with the coordination of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
UNIDO, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, UNIDO is a specialised UN agency with a unique mandate to promote and accelerate sustainable economic and industrial development.
