Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro made the above remarks during a one-Day High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Strengthening Sub-National Ownership and Results-Based Financing (RBF) for Humanitarian and Development Interventions in Nigeria. This was contained in a statement signed by Chinyere A. Ulasi, Head, Information and Public Relations.
The dialogue was held on Monday, 15th December 2025, at the European Union (EU) Conference Hall, Abuja, organised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and facilitated by the European Union.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr. Bernard M. Doro emphasized that states should bear the primary operational responsibility for coordinating and delivering first-line humanitarian responses in the face of persistent challenges such as recurrent flooding, insecurity, population displacement and rising socio-economic vulnerabilities. He stressed that sub-national ownership is no longer optional but an imperative, noting that states and Local Government Areas (LGAs) possess the contextual knowledge and proximity required for timely, effective, and sustainable interventions.
The Honourable Minister highlighted key objectives of the dialogue to include:
Reinforcing the operational mandates of State Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction through improved budgeting, strengthened preparedness systems, enhanced emergency response coordination, and full integration of humanitarian planning into state development frameworks.
Building consensus on practical, state-led first-line response mechanisms, including early warning and early action models, motivation protocols for local governments, and structured coordination among State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and community-based responders.
Deepening understanding and application of Results-Based Financing (RBF) to support domestic resource mobilisation, improve accountability, and link programme financing to measurable outcomes across humanitarian and poverty reduction initiatives.
Dr. Doro further unveiled a key policy direction of the Ministry—the establishment of the “One Humanitarian, One Poverty Reduction System”, a National platform designed to track and harmonise all humanitarian and poverty reduction interventions across government, development partners, CSOs and the private sector. According to him, the system will enhance transparency, provide real-time data, enable evidence-based decision-making, and eliminate duplication while anchoring results-based financing on verifiable outcomes.
In his final intervention at the dialogue, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro emphasized that progress in humanitarian response, social protection, and poverty reduction would be incremental and stepwise, but achievable with collective determination and sustained commitment. He noted that while debates would continue around where humanitarian intervention ends and where social protection begins, the ultimate focus must remain on measurable impact on the lives of Nigerians.
Dr. Doro reaffirmed that the dialogue, along with forthcoming engagements including the February follow-up meeting and the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction , was designed to ensure that states and local governments fully internalise and operationalise national policies. He concluded by calling for stronger collaboration around livelihood creation, productive interventions, and clearly defined exit outcomes that move beneficiaries decisively out of poverty, stressing that collective action and system strengthening remain central to achieving lasting impact.
In his remarks, the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alh. Atiku Bagudu underscored the constitutional and developmental imperatives for cooperation across all Tiers of Government, stressing that humanitarian action, social protection, and poverty reduction are embedded in Nigeria’s Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy. He noted that ongoing macro-economic reforms and increased fiscal inflows to states and LGAs have created new opportunities for enhanced investment in humanitarian and social sectors, supported by development partners and aligned with the National Development Plan and the Renewed Hope Development Agenda.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, thanked participants for their robust engagement and urged states to leverage upcoming platforms, including the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction scheduled for January 2026, to deepen collaboration, share best practices and mobilise increased resources in response to Nigeria’s growing humanitarian needs.
The EU Head of State, Human Development, Ms. Leila Ben Amor Mathieu reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s humanitarian and development priorities, particularly efforts that strengthen local ownership, accountability, and sustainable financing models.
During the panel session, panellists provided practical insights on:
State-led responsibility and poverty reduction initiatives under the State and Local Government Area Durable Solutions Framework, presented by Mr. Nathaniel Msen Awuapila, representing the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Benue State.
Cascading the National Social Protection Framework to State Levels, delivered by Mr. Obayuwana Confidence, Government Engagement Coordinator, Nigeria/NGO Forum.
Results-based approaches to poverty reduction, shared by Mr. Michael Ogun of the Poverty Reduction Department, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
The dialogue concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening sub-national leadership, improving preparedness and emergency response systems, and advancing results-based financing frameworks to ensure that humanitarian and development interventions deliver measurable, sustainable impact for the Nigerian people.
It was supported by development partners and attracted participants from the Federal and State Governments, Local Government representatives, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Technical Experts, Donor Agencies, and the Humanitarian Community.
Also present at the dialogue were the head of office, ECHO, and UNOCHA Representative,
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