The Federal Government has stressed the importance of fully integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into national and sub-national development plans to achieve meaningful progress, rather than relying on isolated initiatives.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire made this point during the North-East Regional Consultation in Gombe, part of Nigeria’s preparation for the 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum in New York.
Represented by Dr. Bala Yunusa, she emphasized that Nigeria is conducting its third VNR to assess progress and challenges in SDG implementation across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to Orelope-Adefulire’s spokesperson, Desmond Utomwen, only 17% of SDG targets are on track, with nearly 50% showing minimal or moderate progress and over a third stalling or regressing. Factors such as financial constraints, the COVID-19 pandemic, and insecurity were cited as key obstacles.
Orelope-Adefulire highlighted the need for stronger collaboration among the public and private sectors, UN agencies, donor organizations, and civil society to accelerate SDG progress. She also referred to the “Pact for the Future,” adopted at the 79th UN General Assembly, stressing the need for bold actions and massive investments to drive transitions in food, energy, and digital sectors.
The consultation brought together 150 participants from six states to discuss SDG implementation frameworks, progress, challenges, and lessons learned.
Gombe State SDGs Focal Person Sulaiman Turaki emphasized the importance of active stakeholder contributions to ensure the VNR reflects the nation’s progress and challenges, while proposing impactful solutions for sustainable development in the North-East.
