Nigeria, UNDP Renew Alliance to Drive Regional Integration and Youth Empowerment
Oru Leonard
Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in advancing Africa’s development, democratic governance, women’s leadership and regional economic integration.
The commitment was reiterated during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu congratulated Eziakonwa on her appointment as United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, describing it as a source of pride for Nigeria and the African continent. She commended her contributions to international development and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding partnership with the United Nations in promoting sustainable development, democratic governance and regional prosperity.
The meeting reviewed the enduring collaboration between Nigeria and the UN, with discussions focusing on democratic governance, sustainable development, peacebuilding and regional integration. The two sides also examined Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities under the 4-Ds framework of Development, Democracy, Demography and Diaspora.
Eziakonwa briefed the Minister on the recently concluded regional dialogue on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which Nigeria hosted in partnership with the UNDP. She praised Nigeria’s leadership in driving regional economic integration, noting that the country’s active participation remains critical to the success of the continental trade agreement.
She further expressed UNDP’s readiness to continue supporting the Federal Government in promoting inclusive economic growth, entrepreneurship, innovation and policies aimed at strengthening regional value chains and expanding intra-African trade.
The discussions also highlighted initiatives to promote women’s leadership and youth empowerment across Africa. Eziakonwa outlined the achievements of the UNDP Regional Leadership Programme, which mentors outstanding young African women through leadership development, networking and engagement with accomplished African leaders.
She invited the Foreign Affairs Minister to serve as a mentor and speaker for the programme’s fellows and to participate in a high-level women leaders’ forum scheduled for August 2026, aimed at strengthening women’s participation in governance and public leadership across Africa.
Responding, Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the initiatives, reaffirming Nigeria’s support for programmes that advance women’s political participation, leadership development and youth empowerment. She stressed that investing in the next generation of African leaders is essential to achieving sustainable peace, democratic governance and inclusive development across the continent.
The Minister also reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to working closely with the United Nations and the UNDP in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2063, while both sides exchanged views on regional and global developments, emphasizing the importance of multilateral cooperation, resilient institutions and innovative partnerships in addressing Africa’s emerging development challenges.
