The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have deepened their collaboration to attract sustainable investment and strengthen state-level economies across Nigeria.
Yunusa Abdullahi, Director, Media and Strategic Communications, NGF, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Abdullahi said that the commitment was made during a visit by a high-level UNDP delegation, led by Ms Elsie Attafuah, UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, to the NGF Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.
He also said that the focus of the visit was on unlocking innovative financing models to help subnational governments mobilise investments and bridge critical infrastructure and fiscal capacity gaps across the 36 states.
Abdullahi noted that both institutions agreed to formalise their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU according to him would define technical assistance and pilot interventions in select states.
He said that the collaboration would specifically focus on developing a Subnational Development Finance Lab, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Competency Framework, and a State Investment Readiness Index to benchmark competitiveness.
He quoted the NGF Director General (D-G), Dr Abdulateef Shittu, as describing the engagement as “a timely step in deepening Nigeria’s subnational development agenda.”
“We value UNDP’s partnership in helping states become more competitive and investment-ready.
“Our goal is to create a pathway where subnational governments can independently attract, manage, and sustain investments that directly impact lives and livelihoods,” he said
Shittu highlighted the NGF’s recent inauguration of the Investopedia, a digital investment intelligence platform aggregating over 269 investment-ready projects across the states, as proof that states are “ready, willing, and able to lead the country’s transformation”.
He said that the next phase of the collaboration with UNDP, according to the D-G, would prioritise strengthening states’ fiscal and institutional capacity to attract long-term financing.
Others according to him include establishing frameworks for blended and innovative finance, and building a pipeline of bankable projects aligned with national and global sustainability goals.
Shittu expressed confidence that the partnership would be catalytic, enabling subnational governments to become key drivers of Nigeria’s development narrative.
In her remarks, Attafuah described the engagement as a continuation of UNDP’s long-standing partnership to accelerate inclusive, equitable, and sustainable growth, ensuring “no state was left behind”.
She reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting states in five key sectors; agriculture, energy transition, healthcare, education, and the digital economy, noting these were areas where impact would be most visible.
“This engagement is about helping states convert their opportunities into tangible investments that create jobs, expand access, and build resilience,” Attafuah said.
Dr Raymond Gilpin, Chief Economist for Africa and Head of the UNDP Economists’ Network, also speaking during the visit, commended the NGF’s leadership.
He emphasised that the UNDP’s strategic support would focus on helping states develop frameworks that combine capital mobilisation, governance reforms, and data-driven planning.
Gilpin added that the collaboration aims to create sustainable financing mechanisms that blended public and private capital while ensuring inclusivity and transparency in project implementation.
NAN
