The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has signed a $60 million UNIDO Nigeria new country programme (CP) for inclusive and sustainable development (2018-2022) with the Federal Government.
The new CP- the second in the series of UNIDO’S support for Nigeria- is aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s drive towards Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development (ISID) and is aligned to the priorities of the Federal Government as outlined in the Nigeria vision 20:2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the Nigeria Industrial Revolution plan.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, the Director General of UNIDO, Li Yong, said this new programme has been developed to strengthen the existing strong partnership between Nigeria and UNIDO.
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According to him, the UNIDO technical assistance focused on industrial governance, research and statistics, agro industry and agribusiness development, mineral and metal development. Others include trade, capacity building, micro, small and medium enterprises development, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) industrial parks and private sector development.
It also includes innovation, science and technology management, sustainable energy development and environmental management.
“This programme we signed today is significantly important for Nigeria as the country drive towards the achievement of the sustainable development Goals (SDG) especially SDG especially SDG9 focused on building in silent infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation,” he said.
He started that the country programme is aligned to the government’s development strategies including the vision 20:2020, the Economic recovery and growth plan (ERGP) and the Nigeria industrial revolution plan (NIRP) and UMDO’s mandate on inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) .
In his remarks Minister of Industry Trade and Investment or Okechukwu Enelamah emphasized that Nigeria needs the loan as it would help in the achievement of the country program, which is the Nigeria industrial Revolution plan.
He enumerated various states in the country that would benefit from the programme like in Agric, palm oil, Rice mill and Hydro power.
Enelamah solicited for the support of UNIDO for the programme while disclosing that the ordinary Nigeria would benefit through more Jobs creation, Diversification of the economy and industrialization.