Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, has said the country will draw lessons from Ethiopia’s successful social protection programme to strengthen efforts aimed at reducing poverty and improving livelihoods.
Doro stated this after participating in the Ethiopia Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) Knowledge Exchange Event in Addis Ababa, which marked the conclusion of PSNP-5 and the launch of PSNP-6.
The programme is regarded as one of Africa’s most successful social protection initiatives, supporting millions of vulnerable households through cash transfers, public works, livelihood support, and economic empowerment programmes.
Speaking after the event, the minister said the knowledge exchange offered valuable insights that could help Nigeria improve its poverty reduction framework under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Nigeria is working to improve coordination, targeting, accountability, and pathways from vulnerability to prosperity. Engagements like this show what works and how sustainable systems can be built at scale.”
Doro noted that Nigeria is committed to strengthening social protection systems that not only provide humanitarian assistance but also create opportunities for long-term economic resilience.
He commended the Government of Ethiopia, its Ministries of Agriculture and Finance, as well as international development partners, for creating a platform that encourages collaboration and innovation in tackling poverty.
“We must expand opportunities for the people we serve by adapting proven models to our local context.”
The minister stressed that poverty remains a shared challenge across Africa and called for stronger partnerships, knowledge sharing, and system strengthening among African nations.
Nigeria’s delegation is expected to examine elements of the newly launched PSNP-6 programme that could be adapted to support the National Social Investment Programme and other interventions under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
