FEC approves initiative to tackle poverty

File photo: Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro

The Federal Executive Council has approved a new national framework aimed at tackling poverty by bringing humanitarian assistance, social protection and poverty reduction programmes under a unified system.

The framework, known as the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System, aims to improve coordination among government agencies, development partners, and humanitarian organisations to ensure vulnerable Nigerians receive coordinated support.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, presented the memorandum to the council, which approved it on Wednesday.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry described OHOPRS as a key pillar of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, through which the Federal Government aims to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

The ministry said poverty reduction and humanitarian programmes had operated largely in isolation, resulting in duplication of interventions, gaps in coverage and difficulties in helping vulnerable households transition from emergency assistance to long-term recovery.

It explained that OHOPRS was designed as a system-wide reform rather than another standalone programme, with households placed at the centre of planning, service delivery and impact measurement.

Under the framework, families displaced by conflict and other emergencies would continue to receive immediate assistance, including food, shelter and healthcare, while also being linked to social protection, education, skills acquisition and livelihood support.

The approach is intended to help vulnerable households move beyond emergency relief towards recovery, resilience and economic independence.

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“For too long, humanitarian assistance, social protection and poverty reduction have operated as separate interventions. OHOPRS brings them together, so that vulnerable Nigerians are not simply assisted during emergencies but supported along a structured pathway towards recovery, resilience and economic independence,” Doro said.

The minister said the council’s approval had moved OHOPRS from a nationally adopted framework into the formal architecture of the Federal Government.

He added that the effectiveness of the initiative would be determined by how well interventions work together to improve the lives of Nigerians, rather than by the number of programmes implemented.

OHOPRS was developed with technical input from development partners and other stakeholders during a workshop held at the United Nations House in Abuja in March 2026.

The framework was unveiled on August 26, 2026, by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, alongside Doro at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja.

Following the FEC approval, the ministry said it would work with government institutions, subnational authorities, development partners and other stakeholders to implement the framework.

The initiative seeks to establish a more coordinated approach to identifying vulnerable households, delivering assistance and connecting beneficiaries with long-term poverty reduction opportunities.

Gilbert Ekugbe is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over a decade of experience reporting on business and economic affairs. He covers markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria’s broader economic landscape. His reporting is informed by extensive newsroom experience and a strong commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism, helping readers understand complex business issues.

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