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Nigeria Needs More Investments To Achieve SDGs -UNESCO

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) says Nigeria needs more investments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda of 2030.
Mr Abdourhamane Diallo, Head of Office and Representative of UNESCO to Nigeria, said this yesterday at a two-day workshop on Capacity Development Training of Executives of the Federal Ministry of Education (FME).
The workshop was facilitated by UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education (IBE), an expertise organisation of UNESCO dedicated to curriculum development.
Diallo said that Nigeria was grappling with lots of issues that deterred it from attaining the SDGs, which included Goal 4 targeted at quality education.
“We have about six years to the time limit of achieving the SDGs. We are not there yet because the challenges are very high.
“The population is increasing, we have the problem of access, there is increasing number of out of school children.
“We need to accelerate investments, because the government cannot do it alone, and in the spirit of the SDGs, we need the private sector, Civil Society Organisations, everybody to be involved.’’
He added that UNESCO was supporting the roadmap of the country to fast track the attainment of the SDG 4, by building the capacity of entities in charge of curricula development.
According to him, curricula development is critical to SDGs and at the heart of education.
He added that as a fall out from the workshop, a curriculum Community of Practice (COP) would be developed to ensure that knowledge gained and ways of curricula development could be cascaded to necessary quarters.
Dr Muyibat Olodo, Director, Technology and Science Education Department, FME, reaffirmed that education was very key to the development of any nation.
Olodo said that delivering education to citizens without the right curriculum, cannot address the targeted purpose.
“In developing the curriculum, you have to take into consideration what the society wants, the employer’s needs, what the individual wants for gainful employment, which review of the curriculum is very important.
“The people going to develop the curriculum also need to know what is required globally to deliver an efficient curriculum for the education sector,’’ she said.
She added that the federal government would sustain curriculum review and update, to meet up with emerging demands across the globe.
Mrs Florence Ssereo, Senior Project Officer, Curriculum Transformation, Norms and Capacity Development, UNESCO-IBE, said the FME reached out to UNESCO in May 2023 for the training.
Ssereo recalled that the training began in May and had been in three phases, both physically and virtually, with 49 participants.
She mentioned that the course of the training took place in eight modules, adding that her organisation deliberated on policy dialogue and formulation, curriculum change, design, development, curriculum governance, evaluation, among other concerns.
Dr Garba Gandu, Director, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) Centre, said the training would translate into finding ways to update schools’ curriculum.
Gandu added that the council had been better informed and would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure best practices for curriculum cycle from planning to implementation.
Some of the recommendations from the workshop included for the FME to engage state and local stakeholders of education in consequent capacity development on curriculum.
“FME should ensure effective monitoring of teachers on the implementation of the curriculum implementation in Nigeria.
“FME should encourage the sensitisation and advocacy on issues affecting the implantation of curriculum, foster industrial support and resource allocation for the establishment and sustenance of Community of Practice in Nigeria.
“UNESCO-IBE should offer continuous technical support to the Community of Practice in Nigeria for effective implementation of the curriculum and sharing of best practices on curriculum.’’

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Learn How To Form Coalition Party From Tinubu, Sowunmi Tells Atiku 

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Spokesman to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Segun Sowunmi, has advised his principal, Atiku, to learn from President Bola Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

The Tide reports that in a bid to wrest power from President Tinubu in 2027, Atiku has been leading the movement by opposition politicians to form a coalition of political parties ahead of the next general election.

Last month, opposition politicians set up a team comprising former Minister of Transpiration, Rotimi Amaechi, and former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, to decide whether to float a new party or fuse into an existing platform.

While the main opposition party, PDP, struggles with a perennial leadership crisis, the former Vice President is bent on establishing another political force to take power from the ruling party in 2027.

But Sowunmi, who has been Atiku’s ally for many years, disagrees with his move, saying instead of forming a coalition with another political platform, he should coalesce opposition politicians into the PDP.

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Tuesday, Sowunmi, who was Atiku’s campaign spokesperson in the last election, asked his principal to learn from President Tinubu on how to form a coalition.

Sowunmi believes Atiku, having benefitted from the PDP as a former Vice President and getting the party’s presidential ticket twice, should not seek to form a coalition that will not have the PDP as its base.

He said, “I’ve always said to people, people love with their hearts. I love atiku with my bones. But I can’t help him against himself. You can’t run vice presidency on PDP two times with Obasanjo, get presidential candidate on that same party two times. I don’t agree with him that the next best thing is to be shopping for…(a platform) If you want a coalition, why are you not coalescing them into your party?” he asked.

The former PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State advised the ex-VP to learn from Tinubu on how to build a coalition without dumping his political party.

“Look at your rival, your friend. You guys started together. At best, even if you want to say he’s building a coalition is he not coalescing opponents into his place”? Sowunmi asked again.

The PDP chieftain, who recently showered praises on Tinubu after he visited him, said the President has an “uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special” regardless of political affiliations.

His words: “That guy (Tinubu) is something oh, he has this uncanny ability to make everybody individually feel special. It doesn’t matter whether you are a former foe or a president’s friend, every moment you share with him, I don’t know how he does it, though you’re going to leave the place feeling that you matter, feeling that he gets it, feeling that what you guys are talking about is important. And there’s something about him, when he gives you his word, he will say something like ‘ko le ye’, meaning that to the best of human ability, it will stand.”

Meanwhile, there have been conversations about Sowunmi’s political stance as many questioned his relationship with Atiku, with whom he shares a longstanding political relationship.

Asked about his relationship with Atiku following his meeting with Tinubu, Sowunmi said he doesn’t know if the former Vice President is upset.

“I don’t know whether Atiku is upset or not upset, but I know a lot of our followers are talking a lot of nonsense, and I’m wondering how I became attached to Atiku when I’ve been in PDP since 1999 never leaving,” he responded.

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FIRS Introduces New SOP To End Tax Confusion Nationwide 

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The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to fix inconsistencies in tax services across its over 300 offices nationwide.

The move aims to make tax processes clearer, more transparent, and easier for Nigerians.

In a statement, Special Adviser on Communications and Advocacy to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Mr. Collins Omokaro, said the updated SOP is a key part of the agency’s plan to improve taxpayer experience.

He explained that, in the past, different FIRS offices used different methods, which often confused taxpayers.

“This is about people, experience, and impact. It’s a step towards a tax system that supports voluntary compliance and national development,” Omokaro said.

The new SOP provides a single guide for key processes like registration, payment, audit, and enforcement. This will ensure all FIRS offices follow the same steps, making the system fairer and more predictable.

FIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, described the SOP as more than just a set of rules.

“This SOP is not just a technical document; it is a declaration of who we are becoming as a service. It reflects our commitment to transparency and service to the Nigerian people,” he said.

The SOP also supports FIRS’s digital transformation, combining human and technological systems to deliver faster and more reliable services. It will also improve internal efficiency by providing clear guidance and better training for staff.

“With this rollout, every FIRS staff member has a clear mandate: study it, apply it, and embody it. That’s how we’ll earn the trust of Nigerians,” Omokaro added.

The reform is part of FIRS’s efforts to become a more service-driven organisation, focused on clarity, consistency, and national growth. The agency hopes the new SOP will make tax services better for Nigerians and increase public trust in the system.

 

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FG Working Towards World-Class Public Service -Walson-Jack 

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The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.

Walson-Jack made this known in  Abuja, on Wednesday, at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.

She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.

“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.

According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.

“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels.

“Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.

Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 heads of service later this year.

She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.

“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity.

“Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.

Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.

“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service.

“We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.

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