UN Urges Africa To Invest In People To Meet 2030 Goals
The United Nations has called on African governments, the private sector and development partners to scale up investments in people, mobilise sustainable financing and strengthen partnerships to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Speaking at the Africa Social Impact Summit 2026 in Lagos on Saturday, the UNFPA Representative in Nigeria, Ms Muriel Mafico, who represented the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Ms Wafaa Saeed, said Africa’s future depended on unlocking the potential of its people through bold, people-centred investments.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the National Information Officer, UNIC, Oluseyi Soremekun, the UN stressed that every child should have access to education, every young person should be able to secure meaningful employment, every woman should be empowered to realise her potential, and every community should be equipped to withstand future shocks.
“The wealth of a nation is not measured by what it extracts from the ground. It is measured by what it unlocks in its people,” Mafico said.
She described the summit as taking place at a critical time for the continent, stressing that discussions on development financing should focus on expanding opportunities for people and communities.
Mafico warned that Africa’s development ambitions were being threatened by slowing economic growth, rising debt burdens, shrinking development assistance, climate-related disasters and persistent conflicts.
She noted that recent findings showed that only 36 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goal targets were currently on track or making moderate progress, while the financing gap for developing countries continued to widen.
Despite these challenges, she maintained that the continent possessed the capacity to shape its own future.
“With less than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, we must act with greater urgency, solidarity and ambition,” she said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s demographic advantage, Mafico described the country’s youthful population as one of its greatest assets, saying targeted investments could transform Nigeria into a global hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth.
She, however, cautioned that failing to invest in young people would deepen inequality and reduce opportunities for future generations.
The UN official also urged African countries to prioritise home-grown solutions and stronger national leadership in driving development.
“No country can outsource its development. No nation can import resilience,” she said.
Adding that partnerships should complement, rather than replace, national efforts. She called for a fundamental shift in development financing by unlocking private capital, strengthening domestic resource mobilisation, supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, investing in women and young people, and leveraging technology to expand opportunities.
According to Mafico, development partnerships must remain focused on delivering measurable benefits for people.
She said the United Nations was already working with governments, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector in Nigeria to accelerate progress in institutional strengthening, social protection, food systems transformation, renewable energy, digital innovation, education, and opportunities for women and youth.
Reaffirming the UN’s commitment to leaving no one behind, Mafico urged stakeholders to move beyond promises and translate commitments into concrete action.
She expressed confidence in Africa’s enormous potential, describing the continent as rich in talent, ideas, entrepreneurship and energy, while stressing the need to mobilise capital capable of matching its ambitions.
She urged participants to ensure that the summit would be remembered not for the discussions held, but for the partnerships forged, investments unlocked and collective action taken to build a more prosperous and inclusive future for all.
