The Federal Government has emphasized that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires their full integration into national and sub-national development plans rather than isolated initiatives.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, underscored this need during the North-East Regional Consultation in Gombe, as part of Nigeria’s 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) preparation for the High-Level Political Forum in New York in July 2025.
Represented by Dr. Bala Yunusa, Senior Technical Adviser, she highlighted that the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) as a global review mechanism for the 2030 Agenda. She noted that Nigeria is currently conducting its third VNR, engaging stakeholders across all six geopolitical zones to evaluate progress, challenges, and future prospects.
A statement by her Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communication, Desmond Utomwen, emphasized the urgency of accelerating progress on all SDGs. Citing the 2024 UN Sustainable Development Goals Report, she pointed out that: Only 17% of SDG targets are on track. Nearly 50% show minimal or moderate progress. And Over a third have stalled or regressed.
She attributed Nigeria’s slow progress to dwindling financial resources, the COVID-19 pandemic, and persistent insecurity.
Orelope-Adefulire stressed the importance of robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) mechanisms, including SDG Progress Reports and the VNR. She called for stronger collaboration among the public and private sectors, the UN Development System, donor agencies, academia, and civil society to ensure no one is left behind.
Referring to the “Pact for the Future”, adopted during the 79th UN General Assembly, she reiterated world leaders’ commitment to bold, ambitious, and transformative actions for SDG acceleration. She also echoed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call for massive investments and effective partnerships to drive critical transitions in food, energy, and digital connectivity.
Acknowledging the efforts of Nigeria’s Multi-Stakeholder Core Working Group for the 2025 VNR, she expressed gratitude to members from various government agencies, the UN Development System, private sector groups, civil society organizations, and academia for their commitment.
The North-East Regional Consultation brought together 150 participants from six states to discuss: Institutional frameworks for SDG implementation, Progress across the 17 SDGs and Challenges and lessons learned.
Gombe State SDGs Focal Person, Engr. Sulaiman Turaki, described the consultation as a critical dialogue shaping Nigeria’s next VNR. He urged stakeholders to actively contribute, ensuring the review accurately reflects progress, challenges, and opportunities while leaving no one behind in the country’s development efforts.
“This gathering underscores our collective commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive, science-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda,” he said.
He encouraged participants to propose impactful solutions and drive meaningful change in sustainable development across the North-East.
