Assessment of the Role of Private Sector in the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) In Nigeria

Abstract

Given the deficiency of many countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), the United Nations at its 2015 General Assembly, launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a new developmental strategy with a new terminal date for 2030. Countries including Nigeria, can effectively achieve most of the SDGs (reduce poverty by half, zero hunger and decent work and economic growth) if they emphasise the development of the nature, role and productivity of the private sector. This paper seeks to examine the general relevance of SDGs and assess the role of private sector in achieving SDGs in Nigeria. The methodology adopted is narrative textual; use was made of secondary sources of data to achieve this objective; It is found that, Nigeria is one among the 18 countries that are off track to halve multidimensional poverty by 2030. This is manifest in the high unemployment and dimensionally poor population (Poverty World Headquarters) among other factors, resulting to general low SDGs performance score. It also reveals that, the Nigerian SDGs implementare not strategic in the engagement of the private sector in the implementation of SDGs in Nigeria; low involvement of private sector in the national medium development plan, poor sensitization and awareness about SDGs among private sector operators leading to their non-inclusion of SDGs in the annual plans. It is recommended that, there should be increased strategic private sector engagement in SDGs implementation through awareness and conscious planning.