PRESS STATEMENT POVERTY IS NOT INEVITABLE: ACTIONAID NIGERIA DEMANDS URGENT INVESTMENT IN SAFE HOUSING, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

PRESS STATEMENT

POVERTY IS NOT INEVITABLE: ACTIONAID NIGERIA DEMANDS URGENT INVESTMENT IN SAFE HOUSING, SOCIAL PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

17 October 2026 | Abuja, Nigeria

As Nigeria marks the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, ActionAid Nigeria calls on governments at all levels to urgently prioritise safe, affordable housing; strengthen social protection systems; and implement economic policies that address the growing hardship and structural inequalities affecting millions of Nigerians.

Under the theme “Safe Homes for All,” within the broader 2026 – 2028 theme, “United for Peace and Human Rights,” this year's commemoration underscores that adequate housing is fundamental to human dignity, security, and economic opportunity. Yet millions of Nigerians continue to face poverty, food insecurity, inadequate shelter and limited access to essential public services.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics' 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index, approximately 133 million Nigerians (63%) were living in multidimensional poverty. More recent World Bank estimates indicate that 123 million Nigerians (50.8%) lived in extreme monetary poverty in 2025, highlighting the persistent scale of deprivation. Although these figures measure different dimensions of poverty, both show the urgent need for effective, inclusive government interventions.

Food insecurity has further intensified the crisis. The Food and Agriculture Organisation's September 2026 assessment estimated that 36.3 million Nigerians faced crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity during the June – August 2026 lean season. UNICEF also reported that approximately 11 million children under five experienced severe child food poverty in 2024, while its 2026 humanitarian assessment estimates that 3 million children require life-saving treatment for severe wasting. These figures reflect the devastating consequences of economic hardship, conflict and inadequate access to nutritious food.

Housing remains another critical challenge. A 2025 World Bank analytical review estimated that 87 million Nigerians live in poor housing conditions, with a national housing deficit of approximately 17 million units. For vulnerable households, particularly women, children, persons with disabilities and displaced communities, inadequate housing compounds poverty. 

Speaking in Abuja, the Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr Andrew Mamedu, stated:

“Poverty is not inevitable. It is sustained by inequality, exclusion and policy choices that continue to deny millions of Nigerians access to necessities and opportunities. In a country endowed with enormous human and natural resources, no family should have to choose between food, shelter, healthcare and education.

We need public budgets that prioritise people, social protection systems that reach vulnerable households, and economic policies that create decent jobs and reduce inequality. People experiencing poverty must also have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives. The true measure of national progress is not simply how much the economy grows, but how significantly the lives of the most vulnerable improve.”

ActionAid Nigeria emphasises that strengthening social protection is critical to breaking the cycle of poverty. The National Social Register (NSR) provides an important mechanism for identifying poor and vulnerable households, but its effectiveness depends on transparency, reliable data, inclusive access and accountable implementation. Inclusion in the Register does not automatically guarantee benefits; governments must ensure eligible households can access available support through fair, effective delivery systems.

Through the European Union-funded Support for Strengthening Social Protection in Nigeria (ESSPIN) project, ActionAid Nigeria works with partners to raise awareness of the National Social Register, strengthen community participation, and advocate for inclusive, accountable social protection systems across Abia, Benue, Oyo, and Sokoto States.

ActionAid Nigeria therefore calls on:

1. The Federal and State Governments to increase investment in safe, adequate and affordable housing, particularly for low-income households, while expanding access to essential services, including healthcare, education, clean water and sanitation.

2. Governments at all levels to adequately finance and expand inclusive social protection programmes, prioritise decent work and fair economic opportunities, and ensure that economic and fiscal policies protect vulnerable households rather than deepen inequality.

3. The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), State Operations Coordinating Units (SOCUs) and other relevant institutions to strengthen transparency, data integrity, public awareness and accountability in the management of the National Social Register, ensuring fair identification of vulnerable households and effective access to available interventions.

4. Government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the media to ensure meaningful participation by people experiencing poverty, particularly women, young people and persons with disabilities, while promoting public awareness, monitoring government commitments and demanding accountability for poverty reduction outcomes.

ActionAid Nigeria stresses that poverty eradication requires more than temporary relief measures. It demands sustained public investment, equitable economic policies, accountable institutions and clear implementation targets that translate government commitments into measurable improvements in people's lives.

On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, ActionAid Nigeria urges governments, development partners, civil society, the private sector, and citizens to work together toward a Nigeria where every family has access to safe housing, meaningful social protection, and fair opportunities to thrive.

Poverty cannot be eradicated through declarations alone. It requires political will, deliberate investment in people and a collective commitment to justice, equality and human dignity.

Signed,

Dr Andrew Mamedu
Country Director
ActionAid Nigeria

#ENDS

Editors' Notes

ActionAid Nigeria is a social justice non-governmental organisation working to eradicate poverty and all forms of injustice in Nigeria. As an affiliate of the ActionAid International Federation, which operates in 45 countries, ActionAid Nigeria works in solidarity with people living in poverty and exclusion to advance social justice, gender equality and a just, equitable and sustainable world.