Nigeria has began the 2025 Stakeholders Consultation Voluntary National Review (VRN), on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the South West Zone.
Lagos State is hosting the consultation forum which had in attendance critical stakeholders including participants from Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states.
Speaking at the event held at Marriott Hotel Ikeja, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said that the consultation is to review Nigeria’s SDGs progress report 2024 through the lense of institutional frameworks; progress on the 17 SDGs; lessons learnt; implementation, challenges and key recommendations.
Adefulire, who was represented by the Technical Adviser of the Office, Dr. Bala Yinusa, said that the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report (2024) identified lack of progress towards the SDGs and that only 17 percent of the SDG targets are on track, stressing the need to recommit towards taking transformative actions to fast-track the achievement of the goals.
She said “To date, 366 VNRs have been conducted and presented by 191 countries. Of this, 138 countries have conducted more than one VNR. Nigeria has presented two VNRs in 2017 and 2020 respectively.
“This year, Nigeria will present its Third VNR along with 38 other countries. Conceptually, the VNRs are more useful when they are conducted through an inclusive, broad-based and participatory process.
“This is exactly why we are here to consult widely with key stakeholders across the key segments of the society.
“Following this flag-off in Lagos, series of consultations will take place in Uyo, for South South; Enugu, for South East; Gombe, for North East; Kaduna, for North West; and Abuja, for North Central. We will conclude by hosting a National Validation in Abuja.”
Economic recovery
She hinted that since 2016, the Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP (2017-2020); Economic Sustainability Plan of 2020, National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy of 2021 as well as Nigeria’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025) have all been inspired by the SDGs which according to her are embedded in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Improving ranking
In her remarks,, the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih mentioned that the review is carried out to advance collective actions towards improving the country’s ranking among the best performers on the SDG global trajectory.
Finnih explained that in the past years, Lagos State has been consistent in driving the efforts towards achieving the SDGs, leveraging evidence-based decision-making to drive impact.
According to her “The Lagos State Voluntary Local Review (VLR) conducted in 2023 is a testament to this commitment, as it provides periodic assessments of our progress and has also had a resounding impact on the policies and decisions made by the current administration under our able leadership of Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“The State policies have been more in line with international development targets, while better resource-affectation arrangements, increased inter-agency collaboration, and improved participatory governance were achieved through the VLR exercise.
“The fact that Lagos is a beacon of subnational leadership in SDGs localization, encouraging strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, is a pride to behold,” she said
She said VNR represents a pivotal mechanism in the implementation of SDGs targets, providing an opportunity for both national and subnational governments to periodically assess progress, identify gaps, and strengthen accountability and foster scalable innovations.
Proper implementation
Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on SDG and Water Resources, Mrs. Damilola Otubanjo, said the national review is important to the attainment of full implementation of the SDGs particularly when it represents the interest of all Nigerians, because it will highlight the grey areas and design a path towards how Nigeria can be presented globally.
Similarly, Director of the Centre for Actualisation of SDGs, Lagos State University, LASU, Prof. Tayo Ajayi added that since 2015 when United Nations formed SDGs and enjoined countries to key into it, Nigeria has domesticated SDGs at national level and Lagos State is not an exception with the extension of the campaign to the academia.
Ajayi noted that since the centre was established in the year 2022, it has organised two international conferences on the implementation of SDGs agenda 2030, set up LASU SDG Youth Club with over 3,500 membership and thr institution is scalling up with LASU Sustainability Policy towards achieving the SDGs in the university.
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