European Union and United Nations officials declared in Abuja that Nigeria’s economic expansion must generate tangible benefits for everyday citizens, not just a privileged few.
The pledge came as global development funding faces mounting pressure from donor aid reductions, violent conflict, and eroding multilateral cooperation.
Ambassador Gautier Mignot, the EU’s representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, delivered the message at the Development Policy Forum 2026, hosted by Nextier. The gathering centered on “Achieving Inclusive Prosperity in Nigeria” and drew senior leadership from both international bodies.
Mignot identified private sector investment, digital connectivity, quality education, and environmental sustainability as essential building blocks for broad-based prosperity. He warned that growth concentrated among elites would fail Nigeria’s larger population.
“Trust, social inclusion and confidence in the future are essential to sustainable development,” Mignot said, adding that targeted investment in youth, workforce participation for women, and gender equality could accelerate national progress.
The ambassador cautioned against viewing artificial intelligence as a cure-all. Technology cannot substitute for good governance, sound planning, or environmental protection, he noted.
On external partnerships, Mignot stressed that foreign actors should bolster Nigeria’s own priorities rather than impose external development models. He cited the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy as a mechanism for mobilizing public and private capital around green, digital, and inclusive growth.
Concrete EU-backed initiatives include the Omi-Eko electric ferry project in Lagos, designed to connect lagoon communities to jobs and services. A proposed 90,000-kilometer fiber-optic network would deepen digital access nationwide, while financing targets micro, small, and medium enterprises led by women and youth.
The EU’s next seven-year budget framework, covering 2028 to 2034, offers additional room to align development priorities with Nigerian needs, Mignot said.
Meanwhile, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mohammed Malick Fall called partnership essential for sustaining development and humanitarian operations. He praised the EU’s consistent backing of Nigeria’s development agenda.
Fall acknowledged that multilateralism and international solidarity now face significant strain globally. He said the UN and EU remain united in defending development assistance and humanitarian support.
The meeting served to review existing cooperation, identify gaps, and strengthen coordination. Fall emphasized that inclusive prosperity requires linking humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts, especially as inequality and poverty continue to undercut Nigeria’s potential.
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals demands coordinated action, sustained investment, and policies that put people ahead of profits, he concluded.
