ActionAid Nigeria has challenged the government to account for public spending and give vulnerable citizens a stronger voice in policymaking, warning that millions of Nigerians remain trapped in extreme poverty despite interventions aimed at improving their living conditions.
The organisation said tackling poverty required more than relief programmes, insisting that transparency, accountable institutions and inclusive decision-making must become central to the management of public resources.
Its Country Director, Dr Andrew Mamedu, made the call on Saturday in Abuja while delivering a goodwill message at the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Mamedu cited World Bank figures estimating that 123 million Nigerians, representing 50.8 per cent of the population, lived in extreme poverty in 2025.
He said rising living costs, insecurity, displacement, climate-related shocks and inadequate access to essential services continued to place millions of households under severe pressure.
The ActionAid director argued that poverty reduction efforts would achieve limited results without effective monitoring of public expenditure and stronger coordination among government institutions.
He also called for greater participation by women, young people, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons in decisions affecting poverty reduction policies and programmes.
According to him, people experiencing poverty must have a meaningful role in shaping the interventions intended to improve their lives.
The event, held under the theme, “United for Peace and Human Rights: Safe Homes for All,” placed housing insecurity at the centre of discussions on poverty and human dignity.
Mamedu said a safe home represented far more than shelter, describing it as a foundation for personal security, good health, education and economic opportunity.
He cited United Nations estimates indicating that more than 2.8 billion people worldwide experienced some form of inadequate housing, while over 300 million had no place to call home.
He warned that inadequate housing could expose families to insecurity, ill health, interrupted education and deeper economic hardship.
Mamedu maintained that access to adequate housing should be treated as a fundamental element of human dignity and poverty reduction rather than a privilege reserved for a few.
He urged the government and development partners to design poverty reduction programmes around the actual needs and experiences of affected communities.
He also commended the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the European Union, development partners and civil society organisations for their efforts to address poverty and inequality.
The ActionAid director stressed that people living in poverty should not be regarded merely as recipients of charity but as citizens with rights, aspirations and the capacity to influence decisions affecting their future.
He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with government, development partners and communities to address the structural causes of poverty and advance social justice.
Mamedu said a Nigeria free from extreme poverty was achievable if citizens could access safe housing, essential services, effective social protection and fair economic opportunities.
He maintained that the fight against poverty must go beyond announcing programmes to ensuring that public resources deliver measurable improvements in the lives of the people who need them most.