As Nigeria continues regional consultations on the 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR), the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has emphasised the need for stakeholders to intensify efforts towards the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.
She stated this in her Keynote Address at the North-East Regional Consultation in Gombe State, as part of Nigeria’s VNR preparation for the High-Level Political Forum in New York in July 2025.
The SSAP-SDGs noted that world leaders established the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development through the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as a follow up and review mechanism for the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development.
The VNRs serve as the cornerstone of this review process.
Nigeria is currently undertaking its third VNR, engaging stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones to assess implementation progress, challenges and prospects.
In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communication, Desmond Utomwen, the SSAP-SDGs stressed the need to reverse the trend and fast-track progress on all the SDGs.
She noted that global progress on the SDGs is mixed, with Nigeria not exempted.
Citing the 2024 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report, she stated that “Lack of progress towards the SDGs is universal, but developing countries and the world’s poorest people bear the brunt. That currently only 17 percent of SDG targets are on track, nearly half show minimal or moderate progress, while over a third have stalled or regressed.”
At the national level, dwindling financial resources, the COVID-19 pandemic, and persistent insecurity have combined to slow down Nigeria’s progress towards achieving the SDGs.
Princess Orelope-Adefulire emphasised that the SDGs cannot be achieved through isolated programmes but must be carefully integrated into national and sub-national policies and development plans. Robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER), such as the SDGs Progress reporting and the VNR, are essential.
She underscored the need for collaboration across the public and private sectors, the UN Development System, the donor community, academia, and civil society to ensure that no one is left behind.
While referencing the “Pact for the Future,” adopted during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, she noted that “through ‘Pact’, world leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to take “bold, ambitious, accelerated, just, and transformative actions to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs.”
Princess Orelope-Adefulire commended institutional members of the Multi-Stakeholder Core Working Group for Nigeria’s 2025 VNR for their dedication in organising and guiding the entire VNR process.
“I appreciate and commend members of the Core Working Group from relevant MDAs, the UN Development System, the Private Sector Advisory Group, the Civil Society Strategy Group, and academia. Your commitment is highly valued. The consulting team for this VNR is equally appreciated,” she concluded.
In his welcome address, the Focal Person of the SDGs Project Support Unit in Gombe State, Engr. Sulaiman Turaki, described the Regional Consultation as a critical dialogue that will shape Nigeria’s next Voluntary National Review, while ensuring that the country’s progress, challenges, and opportunities are accurately reflected and that no one is left behind in the overall development journey.
“This gathering is a testament to our collective commitment to advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goal.”
He called on stakeholders to engage actively, share insights, and propose solutions that will make a real impact.
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