The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the private sector, and development partners to mobilise investment and create sustainable economic opportunities in communities affected by displacement across Nigeria.
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, made this statement during a meeting with the UNHCR team, led by its Representative in Nigeria, Mr Arjun Jain, to discuss the proposed Leadership Alliance for Enterprise, Acceleration and Prosperity (LEAP), an initiative to mobilise private investment for displacement-affected and fragile communities.
Senator Bagudu said the initiative was particularly relevant to Nigeria’s development priorities because displacement disrupts livelihoods, weakens local economies, and can deepen poverty if affected populations are not reintegrated into productive economic activity.
According to him, people forced to leave their communities because of insecurity or natural disasters often abandon farms, fishing grounds, livestock and other sources of livelihood, making the restoration of economic opportunities critical to sustainable reintegration.
The minister stressed that efforts to return displaced persons to their communities must be complemented by measures to restore livelihoods, address poverty and create opportunities for productive enterprise.
He said the LEAP initiative aligned with Nigeria’s long-term development aspirations, particularly the objective of building a more productive, inclusive and investment-driven economy.
Earlier, the UNHCR Representative in Nigeria, Mr Arjun Jain, said the organisation was seeking to move beyond traditional humanitarian assistance by promoting sustainable livelihoods, self-reliance and private-sector investment for displaced and host communities.
Jain said that UNHCR’s engagement with displaced communities had consistently shown that people wanted opportunities to rebuild their lives, particularly through employment and sustainable livelihoods.
According to him, UNHCR has intensified its engagement with the private sector, state governments and development partners to develop practical economic solutions for communities affected by displacement.
He cited the organisation’s partnership with Tropical General Investments (TGI), which is expanding agricultural livelihood opportunities in Benue and Cross River States.
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