Nigeria

Poverty Reduction

The Poverty Programme is designed to support national efforts aimed at reducing poverty levels through strategic, well- coordinated, pro-poor policy initiatives. It will also enhance the participation of vulnerable groups in economic and social development processes.

Under this programme, intervention has been made in the following areas:

Promoting Pro-poor Economic Policies – Support is being provided for building capacity through provision of technical and policy advisory services to the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs. This support also extends to setting up a Virtual Poverty Fund to track poverty-reducing expenditure saved through the recent $18 billion debt relief deal. Technical assistance is provided to strengthen the capacity of key institutions responsible for data gathering and analysis. At the same time, there is support towards national capacity development for production of National and State level MDGs and Human Development Reports.

Enhancing Sustainability of Micro-finance and Performance of Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs) – Technical input is given for the development of an inclusive and sustainable downstream financial sector through support for the re-organization of the micro-finance sector and strengthening of the regulatory capacity of the apex bank. Capacity building to enhance standardization, competitiveness and operational efficiency of SMEs is also being undertaken. A joint programme between UNDP and UNIDO is under preparation, it aims at providing a framework for supporting joint targeting and capacity building for SME development.

Partnerships for Poverty Reduction – Technical inputs for development of the first Niger Delta Human Development Report have been provided. A programme to strengthen the skills of youths in the Niger Delta is being undertaken and efforts are under way to expand public private partnerships with government, oil companies, development partners and civil society in the Niger Delta

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