The Federal Government is planning to generate 21 million full-time jobs through massive investment in social infrastructure and services, the Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, said on Monday.
According to him, the decision to generate the 21 million jobs was one of the outcomes of the current National Development Plan (2021-2025) which sought to lift 35 million people out of poverty by 2025.
He stated this at a workshop on Harmonisation and Finalisation of Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for the Implementation of the Second National Programme of Action which held in Abuja.
Agba said this would set the stage for achieving the current regime’s commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
The minister further explained that the development plan would also ensure that Nigeria unlocked its potential in all sectors of the economy.
He said, “Specifically, the plan aims to generate 21 million full time jobs and lift 35 million people out of poverty by 2025, thus setting the stage for achieving the current administration’s commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“It also seeks to, among others; invest massively in social infrastructure and services to alleviate poverty, and enhance capacities to strengthen security and ensure good governance.”
Agba further said that the ministry, in line with its mandate and Presidential approval, was in the process of finalising the development of the Nigeria Agenda 2050, which is the country’s Perspective Development Plan to replace the Nigeria Vision 20:2020.
“I, therefore, urge other stakeholders, development partners and MDAs to mainstream and harmonise their sectoral plans and country strategies in line with the priorities of government as embedded in the Plan to ensure full implementation,” the minister said.
The CEO of Africa Union Development Agency’s Peer Review Mechanism (Nigeria), Gloria Akobundu, said Nigeria was currently drafting its National Programme of Action.
She stressed that the primary objective of the programme was to guide and mobilise Nigeria’s efforts in implementing needed changes to improve the state of governance and accelerate the country’s economic development.
