The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has said it is exploring ways to partner with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to attract sustainable investment and strengthen state-level economies.
 
Disclosing this while hosting a high-level delegation from the UNDP, led by Elsie Attafuah, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria and Dr Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist for Africa and Head of the UNDP Economists’ Network, the forum said the engagement was timely.
 
NGF’s Director-General, Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, disclosed that the visit, which took place at the NGF Secretariat in Abuja, focused on unlocking innovative financing models to support subnational governments in mobilising investments and bridging the infrastructure and fiscal capacity gaps across the 36 states.
  
Stressing the importance of the interface, as a timely step towards deepening Nigeria’s subnational development agenda, the DG stated: “Our goal is to create a pathway where subnational governments can independently attract, manage, and sustain investments that directly impact lives and livelihoods.
 
“We value UNDP’s partnership in helping states become more competitive and investment-ready.”  Shittu informed the visitors of the recent launch of Investopedia, which comes as a digital investment intelligence platform aggregating over 269 investment-ready projects across the 36 states, referencing it as a practical demonstration that Nigeria’s subnational governments “are ready, willing, and able to lead the country’s transformation when provided with the right tools and partnerships.”
  
According to the NGF DG, the next phase of collaboration with UNDP would focus on three priorities, comprising strengthening states’ fiscal and institutional capacity to attract long-term financing; establishing frameworks for blended and innovative finance, and building a pipeline of bankable projects that aligns with national and global sustainability goals.
 
Describing the partnership as catalytic, the DG declared: “With UNDP’s technical support and the Forum’s coordination structure, we can make subnational governments key drivers of Nigeria’s development narrative.”
 
Earlier, while announcing the visit, Gilpin commended the NGF’s leadership in creating platforms that enable states to engage with global investors, noting that the UNDP’s strategic support would focus on helping states develop frameworks that combine capital mobilisation, governance reforms, and data-driven planning.
 
Gilpin stated: “Nigeria’s states are essential building blocks of national development,” adding:  “Our role at UNDP is to support the Forum in strengthening the systems that make investments viable – from fiscal governance and data analytics to human capital and institutional efficiency.
 
“This collaboration aims to create sustainable financing mechanisms that blend public and private capital, while ensuring inclusivity and transparency in project implementation.”