ActionAid Calls for Immediate Changes to Address the Human Development Crisis

As evidenced by the recently released Human Development Report (HDR) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called for quick action to address the grim reality facing the country.

The call was issued in an Abuja statement by Andrew Mamedu, the AAN Country Director.

He regretted that the UN report, which included Nigeria as one of the countries at the center of this problem, presented a horrifying picture of a global regression in human development.

He pointed out that according to the most recent data from the report, Nigeria is ranked 161 out of 193 countries in the globe, with an HDI value of just 0.548.

This massive setback is made even more terrifying by the expected extremely unequal recovery of Human Development Index (HDI) values from the 2020–2021 fall. It is impossible to overestimate the impact of the report’s conclusions on the people of Nigeria, and as usual, those who are most vulnerable suffer the most.

Disenfranchisement has a disproportionate impact on Nigeria’s marginalized populations, imprisoning them in cycles of hopelessness and poverty. As per the research, South Africa and Libya both have comparatively high Human Development Index rankings, which suggests noteworthy accomplishments in human development.

Nigeria continues to have a low HDI despite having more natural resources than South Africa or Libya and a greater GDP. The inability of economic growth to successfully translate into gains in the well-being of Nigerian citizens is highlighted by this disparity, according to Mamedu.

He stated that although Nigeria’s high GDP numbers could imply economic prosperity, it is clear that these figures do not correspond with advancements in healthcare, education, living conditions, or human development in general.

“ActionAid Nigeria has set a goal to contribute to lifting 1,000,000 individuals out of poverty within the next five years, in alignment with the federal government’s target to lift 50 million people out of poverty,” he stated.

Therefore, the head of AAN pleaded with the federal government to take the urgent call to action included in the HDR and to take prompt action to address the crises that are erupting in social safety nets, infrastructure, health, and education.