What is SDGs

SDGs acronym stands for Sustainable Development Goals which is also known as the Global Goals. It came into being following an adoption by the 194 member states of the United Nations during the gathering of world leaders Summit on Sustainable Development held in New York, USA on September 25-27, 2015. The title of the agenda is “Transforming Our World” known as 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda 2030 has a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change amongst others by 2030.

Nigeria government is part of the nation expected to drive this vision. And has brought in various ministries, department and agencies to play in bringing the goals to fruition. The degree of effort is of a great concern to all and sundry. Especially to the Present Government in Nigeria. Hence President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a senior special assistant on sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the person of Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire who was a former deputy Governor of Lagos State during Babatunde Raji Fashola tenure and a onetime Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Lagos State.

Since her appointment a number of advocacy and stakeholders meetings have been held. In one of her interview with the Premium Times News of July 6, 2016 She said with the new mandate, her role is to coordinate the advocacy, partnerships and implementation of the SDGs. And have begun the process of galvanizing partners in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), international development partners, civil society groups, the academia, vulnerable population groups as well as states and local governments, to work towards domesticating the SDGs in Nigeria.

Her office have also developed an action plan in collaboration with the United Nations Country System in Nigeria, the United Kingdom Department for International Development, relevant MDAs as well as other partners, to guide the rapid deployment of the SDGs in Nigeria. Government is concluding the review of the policy, financial and institutional arrangements to ensure it is fit for the purpose, to delivering on the SDGs till the 2030 deadline.

She further emphasized that she is partnering with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning to domesticate the 2030 Agenda by integrating it with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework as well as aligning it with the National Development Plan. In collaboration with relevant partners, she claimed to have also begun the process of delivering direct interventions to the poor and vulnerable through vocational training, skill acquisition and empowerment programmes.

According to the Premium times news report Orelope-Adefulire stated one of her major challenge which is inadequate resource flow due to the global economic downturn.

SDGs Performance in Africa and the Possibility of meeting the Target

Let`s sight Nigeria as a case for Africa. Nigeria is still deep into recession; while the level of economic growth, security and investment climate plays a pivotal role in driving economic development there is no gainsaying that these 2030 Agenda could be achieved or could be scored good in the chart of performance. The needed mercenaries and resources are in disarray.

All hands need to be on deck to change the current tide of insecurity, poverty, corruption and rising beat of hopelessness hurling on the masses day by day in the last one year.

Though, the private sector has shown interest in driving the Agenda 2030 goals; coming from the heels of Sahara Group who is partnering with other organization; UN Agencies and foreign business organizations and government authorities on the “Food Africa Project” which is an initiative set to revolutionize the food industry in Kaduna and beyond. Sahara Group is a leading African energy conglomerate, looking forward to Nigeria’s private sector heeding the “clarion call” to spearhead a continent-wide movement to institutionalise and implement the SDGs in Africa through collaboration.

It is obvious there are rising advocacy for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria. This is adjudged to the effort of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Nigeria chapter. On November 29, 2016 SDSN Nigeria, in partnership with a number of representatives led by First Planet Consultant Ltd, hosted its first workshop on deepening cooperation with the private sector towards SDG implementation in Nigeria.

Over 80 members of the private sector attended the event, including the media, distinguished scholars and notable philanthropists. The keynote addresses were delivered by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the SDSN, Dr. Tony Marinho, Director of the Educare Trust, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna, Regional Coordinator of the UN SDG Action Campaign. Patrons of the network, among who are His Eminence, Professor Anele U. Nwokoma, Her Excellency Dame Pauline K. Tallen, Hajiya Maryam S. Ibrahim, as well as Zonal Coordinators, the Chair of Committees and some participants engaged in discussions on the presented topics.

Leaders around the world increasingly recognize that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) alone cannot give a full picture of a country’s performance. The well-being of citizens is an important measure of performance.

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 4.58 million Nigerians have lost their jobs since President Muhammadu Buhari came into office. The NBS disclosed that 2.6 million Nigerians became unemployed within the first and second quarter of 2016. It also revealed that 1.46 million Nigerians became unemployed in the third quarter of 2015, while another 518,102 became unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2015. The details were contained in the agency’s second quarter unemployment and underemployment report which was released on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. As at date March 5th 2017, over 3.6million jobs have been lost; a situation that is highly inimical to the realization of no poverty, decent employment and its targets.

On a more personal note, the degree of Nigeria`s performance and opportunities towards the realization of the SDGs have been more of a futuristic statement of expectations. There are no indices or indicators and targets to draw veritable conclusion on the level of performance. However the assertions of the senior special assistant to the President on SSG, academia, leaders in the private sector on one hand could be optimistic.

The Boston Consulting Group evolve a strategic tool for assessing a country`s performance of development. The tool is known as the Sustainable Economic Development Assessment (SEDA) which is a powerful diagnostic designed to provide government leaders with a perspective on how effectively their countries convert wealth, as measured by income levels, into well-being.

These major elements of the SEDA index are made up of 10 dimensions, which include factors such as income equality, health, education and infrastructure. By measuring how countries perform across all the 10 dimensions, the SEDA establishes which countries are managing , or in some cases failing to use both their absolute wealth and their economic growth to improve the lives of their citizens.

A report compiled by Adesoji Adegbulu Environmental Sustainability & International Business Management (2016) asserts on the basis of SEDA analysis on Nigeria and interviews with Nigerian executives in all key sectors of the economy, including energy, banking, consumer goods, and telecommunications, the BCG propose focused, market-oriented interventions in five critical areas: civil society, governance, infrastructure, education, and health. Infrastructure should be the top priority.

The followings were recommended by the BCG.
1.Strengthening Governance and Civil Society

– Improve government regulations.

– Deploy digital technologies in government.
2. Infrastructure: Building the Foundation for Success

– Create a central body that is empowered to oversee the life cycle of infrastructure investments.

– Identify ten high-priority, high-impact projects.

– Conduct an international road show to line up private funding and establish public-private partnerships.

– Focus on flawless execution.

– Leverage momentum to create a sustained infrastructure-building drive.
3. Education: Bolstering the Workforce

– Establish a national curriculum and track results.

– Increase enrollment, bolster the teaching corps, and harness technology and private-sector innovation

– Build stronger connections between the education system and the job market.
4. Health: A Strategy for Leapfrogging

– Transform the health ecosystem, strengthen the primary health system, and expand health insurance coverage.

– Take steps to allow Nigeria to leapfrog in the development of the health system.

Addressing the current economic challenges in Nigeria and unleashing the energy and drive of its people will require action by the government; most notably in infrastructure, health, and education. Improvements in those areas will create sizable, positive ripple effects throughout the economy, including possibly a surge in foreign direct investment. Focused and sustained effort can yield real progress and raise the well-being of all Nigerians, with feasible performance on the SDGs by 2030.

A contribution by

NELSON OBINE, Sustainable Development Practitioner, Executive Director, People Planet and Profit Media, Lagos, Nigeria, Twitter follow @pppmediang
http://www.sustainabilitywatchngr.com/index.php/trade-finance/item/565-sdgs-in-nigeria-and-the-possibility-of-meeting-the-targets-by-year-2030

I rep goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Nice topic