UN, Sterling One Basis, and UNGCNN Lead Non-public Sector Push for Accelerated SDG Supply 

Non-public sector leaders, growth companions, and senior policymakers lately convened at a high-level CEO Roundtable co-hosted by the United Nations International Compact Community Nigeria, Sterling One Basis, and the United Nations in Nigeria.

The gathering, held in Lagos, rallied the non-public sector round accelerating progress on the Sustainable Improvement Targets (SDGs) by means of six important “transition pathways” recognized by the UN.

This strategy zeroes in on key areas the place focused motion can drive outsized positive aspects throughout a number of SDGs, shifting from commitments to concrete options.

The roundtable’s discussions targeted on catalyzing influence in six precedence areas that supply excessive potential for accelerating growth outcomes: meals techniques, vitality entry, digital connectivity, training, jobs and social safety, and local weather resilience.

With lower than 5 years remaining to attain the 2030 Agenda, leaders agreed that progress should speed up dramatically. International SDG efforts are off-track, with solely 17% of targets on the right track amid overlapping crises. Nigeria faces its personal pressing growth gaps – an estimated 63% of Nigerians (133 million individuals) stay in multidimensional poverty, missing fundamental wants in areas like well being, training, and residing requirements. This sobering backdrop underscored the occasion’s pressing name for the non-public sector to ship measurable, scalable options.

“The urgency is obvious. Our efforts on the SDGs are undoubtedly not but the place they have to be,” famous Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Basis, in her welcome deal with. “We’re at a important inflection level, lower than 5 years from the 2030 deadline, with thousands and thousands nonetheless trapped in multidimensional poverty and weak to the cascading results of local weather change, inequality, and financial uncertainty. This is the reason convenings like this are well timed and mandatory, to construct alignment, scale concepts, and drive motion the place it issues most. The non-public sector should scale investments and take daring steps that create influence in communities.” 

Naomi Nwokolo, Government Director, United Nations International Compact Community Nigeria (UNGCNN), opened the discussion board by emphasizing that aligning enterprise methods with the SDGs is each an ethical and financial crucial. “Accelerating SDG implementation is a transparent enterprise crucial for long-term success,” Nwokolo stated, highlighting that the six transition pathways present a “strategic lens for impactful funding.” She urged corporations to deepen engagement in these areas to “drive innovation, unlock new markets, and construct resilience – straight contributing to a extra affluent future for all.” 

Non-public sector leaders on the roundtable echoed this resolve. Bola Adesola, Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria and a former UN International Compact Board member, challenged her friends to pursue daring actions in sustainable vitality, meals techniques, and local weather. “The shift to cleaner, reasonably priced vitality is an unparalleled alternative to unlock new financial frontiers, drive industrial progress, and guarantee a sustainable future for all,” Adesola noticed. She painted a imaginative and prescient of Africa main in climate-smart options, stressing that such management is “not past our attain” if companies and policymakers work in tandem. Adesola framed the second as one among legacy: “What legacy will we go away? We should rescue the SDGs by embedding them in our organizations with a way of urgency,” she stated, underscoring that it’s “not simply the suitable factor to do, however the good factor to do” for long-term competitiveness.

From the coverage aspect, the Nigerian authorities signaled alignment with these ambitions. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Coverage & Tax Reform Committee, addressed the gathering through video, outlining how fiscal reforms are being leveraged to allow SDG progress. He revealed that Nigeria’s forthcoming nationwide fiscal coverage will function a devoted part on the SDGs, aiming to hardwire growth targets into governance. Oyedele urged a re-think of how success is measured, arguing that governments ought to “begin focusing extra on SDGs than GDP” of their metrics.

“We report GDP each quarter, nevertheless it doesn’t inform the story of sustainability or whether or not we’re lifting individuals out of poverty,” he famous. Oyedele even advocated for a worldwide rating of nations by SDG efficiency to spur competitors in sustainable growth, as a result of “no matter is just not measured is just not achieved.” “Our aim is to embed the SDGs into the framework of coverage and nationwide planning,” he stated, explaining that his committee is figuring out and eradicating fiscal impediments to progress in every of the six precedence areas.

The United Nations applauded the non-public sector’s proactive position and bolstered the decision for partnership. Mohamed Malick Fall, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, delivered remarks noting that “our means to satisfy the SDGs now will depend on one factor – collective, decisive motion on the native degree.”

He emphasised that the non-public sector’s monetary assets, expertise, and operational experience make it uniquely positioned to drive transformation. “By embedding the SDGs into our company technique, provide chains and investments, we aren’t simply advancing world growth; we’re creating long-term worth for our companies, our individuals, and our planet,” Mr. Fall stated.

He urged leaders to “break down silos, forge stronger partnerships, and decide to concrete motion” that can ship influence on the bottom, echoing UN Secretary-Common António Guterres’ cost to “rescue the SDGs” and maintain the promise of a greater world.

This CEO Roundtable is a part of a broader effort to unite enterprise, growth, and public sector actors across the SDGs in Nigeria and throughout Africa. Organizers careworn that the insights and commitments from this discussion board will carry into the upcoming Africa Social Affect Summit 2025, a pan-African gathering co-convened by Sterling One Basis and the United Nations Nigeria. The Summit, slated for July 10–11, 2025 on the Eko Conference Centre in Lagos, will develop these conversations and options to a continental scale, with over 5,000 delegates anticipated. events can go to the summit website at theimpactsummit.org for extra data.

 

 

About Sterling One Basis

Sterling One Basis (SOF) is a registered non-profit targeted on tackling the foundation causes of poverty in Nigeria, and Africa by means of interventions and social influence programmes throughout 5 important sectors specifically: local weather motion, well being, training and youth growth, gender equality and empowerment, and meals safety. The Basis’s programmes undertake a central theme of prioritizing partnerships for the achievement of the Sustainable Improvement Targets (SDGs). For extra data go to onefoundation.ng.