Some development stakeholders in Nigeria have called on President Bola Tinubu to adopt and commit to implementing the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
Development Diaries reports that they made the call at a policy dialogue themed ‘Nigeria Agenda 2050 and the Incoming Administration’.
The dialogue, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (CentreLSD), presented an opportunity for stakeholders from Youth Alive Foundation, Centre for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC), and Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE) to have a shared understanding of the aspirations espoused in the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari, in May 2023, launched the new long-term national development plan that aims to ensure that the country attains a per capita GDP of $33,328 per annum.
The Nigeria Agenda 2050 highlights the road map for accelerated, sustained and broad-based growth and development, and provides frameworks and approaches for reducing unemployment, poverty, inequality, and human deprivation.
It is understood that stakeholders interrogated the process of its crafting, content, and the extent of multi-stakeholder engagements in arriving at the final document.
They also offered recommendations that the new administration can adopt towards the effective implementation of the plan.
The stakeholders observed that the agenda is very elaborate and covers the major sectors that can contribute to accelerating the development of Nigeria.
They also noted that the agenda can make a positive difference in Nigeria if implementation is done properly with a display of political will and commitment.
‘The Nigeria Agenda 2050 (NA 2050) is formulated against the backdrop of subsisting economic and social challenge facing the country and provided ways by which the challenges can be solved on a long- and medium-term basis’, a communique from the gathering read in part.
‘Some of the challenges include low, fragile, and non-inclusive economic growth and development, high population growth rate, pervasive insecurity, limited concentric economic diversification and transformation of the economy, low productivity, and high import dependence.
‘Other challenges include an un-conducive business environment and limited external competitiveness, deindustrialization, huge infrastructural deficits (transport, power), governance challenges, climate change, limited fiscal space and high incidences of poverty, unemployment, and inequality.
The stakeholders urged the new administration to pursue diversification, prioritise citizens’ welfare and build a national awareness around the agenda with continuous assessment and review.
Photo source: CIFOR
