Nigeria Marks 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Calls for Protection of Vulnerable Persons
Oru Leonard
Nigeria has marked the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with a call for the protection of vulnerable persons and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to build a peaceful and inclusive society.
The event, organised by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, was held on October 17, 2026, at the Nicon Luxury Hotel in Abuja, under the theme, “United for peace and human rights: Safe homes for all.”
In his keynote address, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard M. Doro, called on Nigerians to protect vulnerable members of society, stressing that the fight against poverty was also a fight for peace.
The minister said Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 11 committed the world to ending poverty in all its forms and ensuring access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services.
With only four years remaining until the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, Doro urged stakeholders to assess the progress made so far and identify the actions required to accelerate poverty reduction.
He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, implemented through the ministry’s One Humanitarian, One Poverty Reduction Strategy, was working to reduce poverty through a multidimensional approach involving all relevant stakeholders.
“Our task in the ministry is twofold: to protect Nigerians who are vulnerable today and to open pathways that make them resilient and economically independent tomorrow,” Doro said.
He explained that while palliatives helped families survive immediate crises, sustainable pathways were needed to ensure that families would no longer depend on palliative support.
The minister said the Household Prosperity and Economic Social Protection Project, known as HOPE-SP, represented the ministry’s shift from a predominantly relief-oriented approach to sustainable pathways for recovery, empowerment and self-reliance.
He added that the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Reduction Strategy brought humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction, economic inclusion and graduation under one national operating model centred on the household.
According to him, mothers and children remained at the centre of the ministry’s interventions and the measurement of their success.
Doro said Nigeria was responding to the call of Sustainable Development Goal 1 by building a social protection system for all and strengthening the resilience of poor and vulnerable persons against economic and other shocks.
In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Olubunmi Olusanya, said the initiative demonstrated the ministry’s commitment to poverty reduction.
Olusanya noted that poverty could not be eradicated by government alone, stressing the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, the private sector and civil society organisations.
He appreciated the contributions of stakeholders and called for increased support to enable Nigeria to achieve its poverty-reduction objectives.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the European Union, African AIDS International, the World Food Programme, the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Fidelity Bank Plc, among others.
The representatives pledged their continued commitment to reducing poverty and promoting a safe and peaceful Nigeria.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of palliatives to selected vulnerable persons.
Cover Photo Caption: Group picture with the HM, PS and the management staff of the ministry during the event.
(FMHPR Press)
