Prospects and Challenges to the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria

Abstract

The global socio-economic and environmental crises are worsening daily. The scale is up and daunting. Poverty is glaring and evident in all spheres of life. The effect is much more on the developing nations, Africa and Nigeria being at the core. At the turn of the 21st century, the world woke up to the startling reality of a world so rich yet the majority of its populations live in poverty. Half of the three billion go to bed without a means of livelihood especially food in their bellies. By the year 2020 developing nations were already expending $1.3 on debt repayment for $1 they received in grants. In addition to this statistical reality, approximately one billion people entered into the 21st century not able to read and write. The environment is polluted with various outbreak of pandemics and deadly diseases which have claimed and still claiming millions of lives. These horrendous statistics moved the United Nations to adopt the Millennium Declaration on 8th September, 2000 in New York. From the Declaration came the millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators which are committed to fight poverty, gender inequality and environmental degradation and to foster a global partnership for development (Oke and Oluwasuji, 2008:61; Oke; Oluwasuji and Simon-Oke 2011:61; Oluwasuji; 2013). As a follow-up to the achievement and attainment of the MDGs, World leaders on September 2015 during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (a transmutation for MDGs to SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development focuses on ‘a present and a future that is economically sustainable, socially inclusive and environmentally resilient’. This is expressed through the framing of the 17 SDGs, 169 targets and 230 Key Performance Indicators. It is also aimed at ending poverty, safeguarding the planet and ensuring that all people live in peace and prosperity by the year 2030. This paper hence, focuses on the prospects and the challenges that are posed as inhibitors to the attainment of these goals in Nigeria. The paper used secondary sources of data and content analysis. It is observed that as laudable as the dream of SDGs is, there are some inherent inhibiting factors such as insecurity, global economic recession, corruption, embezzlement and nepotism, secessionist agitations, youth restiveness, global pandemics, a monolithic economy, culture and tradition, insurgency and terrorism among other factors that will impede the attainment of the SDGs in Nigeria. The paper submits that for the goals to be achieved these factors have to be addressed head on. In addition to the fight, the paper suggested diversification of the monolithic economy from oil dependency to other non-oil sectors; involvement of non-state actors and non-governmental agencies, institutions and agencies vis-à-vis the critical stakeholders and civil societies to encourage socialization, awareness and public understanding of the goals. The paper also encourages the government to establish a special monitoring agency to monitor the activities earmarked under SDGs for effectiveness and efficiency to avoid the same old stories with other similar intervening agencies in Nigeria.