FG, UNHCR, PRIVATE SECTOR TO PARTNER ON REHABILITATION OF DISPLACED PERSONS
ABUJA, The Federal Government says it will partner with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the private sector and development partners to create jobs and economic opportunities for displaced communities in Nigeria.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu said this during a meeting with a UNHCR team led by its representative in Nigeria, Arjun Jain, in Abuja.
The meeting focused on a proposed initiative called the Leadership Alliance for Enterprise, Acceleration and Prosperity, which seeks to attract private investment to communities affected by displacement.
Bagudu said displacement disrupts livelihoods, weakens local economies and deepens poverty if affected people are not helped to return to productive work.
“Displacement, by its very nature, involves disruption. When people are forced to leave their communities, whether because of natural disasters or insecurity, their economic activities are automatically interrupted,” he said.
He said efforts to return displaced persons must include measures to restore livelihoods and create jobs.
“Our objective is therefore clear: the $1 trillion economy we aspire to build must be inclusive and create opportunities across communities,” Bagudu said.
He said the government wants to understand needs across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards to identify displaced and host communities and their challenges.
Bagudu said investors in affected areas face insecurity and poor infrastructure, and government must help reduce such risks through security support, access roads and credit guarantees.
He cited World Bank-supported programs such as NG-CARES and Nigeria for Women as tools that can support private-sector partnerships.
Jain said UNHCR wants to move beyond humanitarian aid to promote self-reliance and private investment for displaced and host communities.
He said Nigeria hosts more than 3.7 million internally displaced persons and over 140,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, making long-term solutions urgent.
Jain said UNHCR is working with state governments and private firms, including a partnership with Tropical General Investments to support more than 5,000 farmers and create over 10,000 jobs in Benue and Cross River states.
He said UNHCR is also working with development finance institutions and banks to provide affordable finance to farmers and vulnerable groups.
Jain said UNHCR has set up early warning systems to give timely security information and help investors assess risks more accurately.
He said the LEAP initiative aims to mobilize $10 billion in investment over five years across 10 states affected by displacement.
“The only way we can succeed is to bring everyone around the table,” Jain said.
