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UKAID supports 98,000 northern women with cash to fight poverty

Published

6 years ago

July 10, 2019

The United Kingdom Department for International Development in partnership with Oxford Policy Management has supported about 98,000 pregnant and lactating women in Jigawa and Zamfara states with N4, 000 monthly cash grants in the last six years to fight poverty.

Country Manager of Oxford Policy Management, Femi Adegoke, said the Child Development Grant Programme (CDGP) provided a monthly unconditional cash transfers to pregnant and lactating women from pregnancy until the child was two.

He said the Programme was implemented by Save the Children (SC) and Action Against Hunger between 2013 to 2019.

Adegoke, during the dissemination of the endline findings of the ODGP project in Abuja, said that the goal of the project was to reach children in their first 1000 days, being the most significant part of a child’s life.

He explained that studies had shown that of the 700 million world’s poverty population, about 385million Children were living in poverty, adding that the bulk of them were in sub-Saharan African.

According to him, child poverty means when a child is deprived of health, education, water, nutrition, saying the deprivation often affected the child’s future.

He added that poverty could be transferred from one generation to the other if not addressed.

He said the pilot project executed in six communities in the two states have helped to reduce stunting by 54 percent in the benefiting communities, adding that the cash transfers had positive impact on household food security, dietary and household expenditure.

CDGP Programme Manager, Ramatu Budaliyu, said that about N11billion was spent on the project.

She said the goal of the organisation was to address the problem of stunting and malnutrition in children as Nigeria had one of the highest rate of malnourished children who are mostly in the northern part of the country.

“We wanted to use cash and knowledge to address the problem of stunting in the country and at the end of the programme we notice that there has been so much improvement in livelihood activities among women in the communities,” she said.

A representative of the DFID, Alexis Stevens, in his remarks, stressed the need for social protection to unlock human capital challenges, saying that there was still more to be done to reach about 87 million Nigerians leaving below poverty line.

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Nigeria’s Historic Bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games: A Call for National and Global Support

Published

6 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Nigeria is poised to make history as it seeks to host the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a monumental opportunity that promises to transform the nation’s economy, infrastructure, and global standing.

More than a sporting spectacle, the Games would serve as a catalyst for development across multiple sectors, leaving behind a legacy of national pride and sustainable growth.

The benefits of hosting the Games extend far beyond the sports arena. Nigeria stands to gain both empirical and non-empirical advantages, with direct, indirect, and induced impacts that will touch every corner of society. Infrastructural development will take center stage, with new facilities such as indoor sports halls, conference centers, and improved road networks reshaping urban landscapes while strengthening the nation’s capacity to host future international events.

Economic growth is another significant dividend. Over 10,000 jobs are expected to be created, spanning construction, facility management, event planning, and tourism services.

The hospitality industry will undergo major improvements as hotels and resorts are upgraded to meet international standards, while local restaurants, lounges, and tourist attractions will see a surge in patronage from international visitors. Small and medium enterprises, particularly in the transport, finance, and food service sectors, will become some of the greatest beneficiaries, as the Games generate new demand and expand opportunities for local businesses.
The Commonwealth Games will also accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s sports industry.

Investments in training facilities, coaching, and talent development will inspire a new generation of athletes, ensuring long-term benefits that extend beyond 2030, a major focus of the President Bola Tinubu administration.
At the same time, the process of preparing for the Games will create opportunities for Nigerians to learn new crafts, acquire technical skills, and engage in global-standard event management, thereby strengthening human capacity and innovation across industries.

Mallam Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the Nigeria Sports Commission, and Hon. Bukola Olopade, the Director General, have been widely recognized for their tireless and visionary leadership in repositioning Nigeria’s sporting sector.

Their commitment to facilitating infrastructural development and strengthening grassroots sports development has laid the foundation for Nigeria’s bold bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Under their leadership, the NSC is fostering strategic partnerships and driving innovation in sports administration, they have demonstrated the nation’s readiness to stage an event of such global magnitude.

Beyond the tangible gains, the hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games carries profound symbolic value. It would be a moment of unity and pride, a chance for Nigeria to showcase its cultural richness, resilience, and excellence to the world.
As a centenary edition, the Games would stand as a historic milestone not just for the Commonwealth but for Nigeria itself, cementing its place on the global stage as a capable, ambitious, and forward-looking nation.

The gains from hosting the Commonwealth Games can never be undermined or overemphasized. This is Nigeria’s time to step forward and show the world our resilience, and excellence. We call on every Nigerian, across sectors and communities, to support this noble aspiration.

Nigeria’s pursuit of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a vision for transformation, a blueprint for national development, and a legacy project that will inspire generations to come.

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