Nigeria, EU Deepen Cooperation With Grassroots-focused Projects

Federal Government of Nigeria and the European Union (EU) person pledged to fortify practice successful delivering sustainable improvement projects successful Nigeria, with a renewed absorption connected grassroots communities nether President Bola Tinubu’s Ward Development Programme.

At a seminar connected “Advancing Sustainable Development done EU–Nigeria Development Cooperation and Instruments of Innovative Financing” successful Abuja, the curate of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, described the EU arsenic a longstanding and reliable improvement spouse whose enactment continues to complement Nigeria’s betterment and concern efforts.

He said the EU’s €900 cardinal Global Gateway Investment Package – covering energy, health, education, societal protection, and peacebuilding – has travel astatine a captious clip arsenic Nigeria pushes done bold but hard reforms.

“Over the years, Nigeria and the European Union person enjoyed a agelong and productive past of cooperation, 1 that has steadily evolved successful extent and scope,” Bagudu said. “The Global Gateway Investment Package comes astatine a astir opportune time, focusing connected greenish transition, integer transformation, connectivity, and quality capital, aligning perfectly with Nigeria’s priorities.”

The curate stressed that the Tinubu medication was deliberately channeling fiscal gains from ongoing reforms to fortify macroeconomic stableness portion cushioning the interaction connected households and susceptible groups. A cardinal plank of this approach, helium said, is the Renewed Hope Ward-Based Development Programme, a bottom-up strategy designed to present infrastructure, indispensable services, and opportunities astatine the assemblage level.

According to Bagudu, the Ward Development Programme “aligns seamlessly with the EU’s Global Gateway strategy” arsenic some frameworks emphasise section ownership, sustainability, and inclusiveness.

He said that by designating wards arsenic operational hubs for EU-supported interventions, Nigeria is ensuring that investments scope the communities wherever they are astir needed.

Highlighting milestones already recorded, Bagudu pointed to the Emi Eko Project arsenic an illustration of however climate-resilient and inclusive EU investments tin alteration section livelihoods. He besides noted that the Global Gateway’s innovative financing premix – grants, concessional loans, guarantees, and backstage superior – offers Nigeria the accidental to standard projects nether its upcoming National Development Plan (2026–2030).

On his part, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, underscored the value of stronger connection and accountability successful Nigeria’s betterment and improvement concern with the EU.

“We truly request to summation our connection efforts,” Mignot said. “Accountability is precise important. We person to amusement our people, the taxpayers, that each wealth invested is good managed.”

The ambassador said that beyond fiscal commitments, EU-Nigeria practice indispensable show tangible results and visibility to guarantee greater buy-in from citizens successful Nigeria and Europe.