The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria remain a top priority for protection and lifting from the poverty cycle, assuring that his regime would sustain social safety nets while expanding access to education and opportunities.

Buhari, who spoke at the virtual official presentation of the Country Review Report of Nigeria to the 31st Africa Peer Review Forum of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Friday, said the government would also take advantage of information, communication and technology to ensure inclusiveness, access and create more opportunities.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Friday titled, ‘Poor and vulnerable in Nigeria will continue to enjoy social safety nets, says President Buhari’.

According to him, “Nigeria’s strategic focus, as we set out to achieve the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063, has been around the following: building a thriving and sustainable economy, enhancing social inclusion and alleviating poverty, enlarging agricultural output for food security and sufficiency and attaining energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; expanding transport and other infrastructural development, business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialisation; access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity; social cohesion and security; and building a system that fights corruption and improves governance.

“Nigeria remains resolutely committed to achieving these set goals despite the challenges that the report highlighted, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Our government remains committed to providing social safety nets for the poor and most vulnerable in our society, while also taking advantage of the huge opportunities offered by the information and technology sector.”

The President reiterated that Nigeria had remained a committed and dedicated member of the African Peer Review family, after acceding to the mechanism in 2003.

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“Today, the forum has presented its second peer review report on Nigeria. This second peer review of Nigeria came at a critical time in the history of the country.

From the report just presented, there is no doubt that the exercise was far-reaching, as it touched the various segments of Nigeria’s political economy and highlighted the progress recorded since the first peer review.

“The report also highlighted some challenges and as a country, we are prepared to review those challenges in the context of our internal dynamics in Nigeria, ultimately with the determination of achieving Agenda 2063 goals of the African Union,’’ he added.