Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening collaboration on Africa’s development, democratic governance, women’s leadership, youth empowerment and regional economic integration.
This was the outcome of a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the UNDP Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, in Abuja on Monday.
According to a statement signed by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the Minister congratulated Eziakonwa on her appointment as United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, describing the elevation as a source of pride for Nigeria and the African continent. She also commended her contributions to international development and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding partnership with the United Nations.
The meeting reviewed the robust collaboration between Nigeria and the UN, with discussions focusing on democratic governance, sustainable development, regional integration, peacebuilding and the implementation of Nigeria’s foreign policy priorities under the 4-Ds framework of Development, Democracy, Demography and Diaspora.
Eziakonwa briefed the Minister on the recently concluded regional dialogue on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, hosted by Nigeria in partnership with UNDP. She commended Nigeria’s leadership in promoting regional economic integration and described the country’s active participation as critical to the success of the continental trade agreement.
She also reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in advancing inclusive economic growth, entrepreneurship, innovation and policies that strengthen regional value chains and boost intra-African trade.
The meeting also explored initiatives to promote women’s leadership and youth empowerment across Africa. Eziakonwa highlighted the success of the UNDP Regional Leadership Programme, which mentors outstanding young African women through leadership development and networking opportunities.
She invited Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu to serve as a mentor and speaker for the programme, citing her leadership experience as an inspiration to emerging women leaders. The Minister was also invited to participate in a high-level women’s leadership programme scheduled for August 2026.
In her response, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed the initiatives and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to supporting programmes that advance women’s political participation, leadership development and youth empowerment. She stressed that investing in the next generation of African leaders remains vital to achieving sustainable peace, democratic governance and inclusive development across the continent.
Both sides further reaffirmed their commitment to working together to advance the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and other initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Africans, while underscoring the importance of multilateral cooperation and resilient institutions in addressing the continent’s evolving development challenges.
