This was said by Bagudu on Thursday in Abuja at the 30th Annual Development Forum hosted by the Live Above Poverty Organization (LAPO).
The minister, represented by Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, Director of International Cooperation, emphasized the necessity for non-state actors to support its efforts in national and economic development while pointing out that the government cannot carry the load alone.
In essence, NGOs fill in the gaps left by the government by offering suggestions on matters like health care, the environment, the economy, public policy, empowerment, and assistance to vulnerable individuals, according to Bagudu. Government policy goals are crucial for both state and non-state entities, such as NGOs.
The NGOs' job is to cooperate with the government in implementing the national development plan. Our national development plan for 2021–2025 has already been mentioned and discussed by the chairman. When doing so, the actors must be extremely inclusive in the sense that their actions must be non-selective and non-discriminatory, and they must adhere to the general demands of various societal segments.
"Government faces significant challenges, particularly at this time when there is a revenue shortfall. The government is hardly able to pay salaries because there is no money anyplace in the nation. Although the growth rate is quite moderate, the population is growing quickly. In spite of strong inflation, unemployment is rising. Non-governmental organizations must consider these concerns in order to assist the government in covering the ground it was unable to.
Dr. Sarah Alade, a former acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has stated that the federal government's goal to pull millions of Nigerians out of poverty depends on the involvement of Non-State Actors (NSA).
To promote economic growth and guarantee the success of its social investment programs, she urged the government to work with non-state entities.
Speaking on the topic of "The Role of Non-State Actors in National Development: A Case Study of LAPO," Alade—who was also President Muhammadu Buhari's special adviser on finance and the economy—said that non-state actors needed to be included in federal government initiatives.
Alade stated that groups like LAPO would be essential in determining the nation's future.
It is crucial to understand why non-state entities, like LAPO, ought to support the national development goal, she said.
"Given the significant financial investment necessary to meet our country's developmental ambitions, the Nigerian National Development Plan highlights the critical relevance of such alignment.
"This plan offers bold goals for a range of fields, including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and eradicating poverty.
"A large financial investment is necessary to achieve these goals.
"The government cannot meet the enormous financial burden necessary to fulfill these targets on its own.
To put it in perspective, the National Development Plan 2021–2025 is anticipated to cost N348 trillion naira, of which N497 trillion would come from the government and N298 trillion from the private sector, or 86 percent of the total amount needed.
She pointed out that non-state entities like LAPO and a nation like Nigeria, which depends on importing food and energy, will be vital in creating ways to get around obstacles in the running of the nation's supply chain.
Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, founder and CEO of LAPO Microfinance Bank, stated in a statement that the bank invested more than N1.2 trillion in women who run micro and small companies.
The fund, according to him, also supported the LAPO NGO's rural healthcare initiatives, such as the LAPO Community-Based Cancer Project, as well as interventions and awareness campaigns for malaria, HIV, hepatitis, blood sugar, blood pressure, and other conditions, while 20 million printed educational resources were distributed in the target communities.
He said that LAPO began with the straightforward act of giving N100 to three (3) women in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, and that it quickly expanded into a variety of mutually beneficial organizations that benefit low-income individuals as well as micro and small businesses.
The LAPO CEO added that these include Goxi MicroInsurance Company, the first licensed micro-insurance company in Nigeria, Benin Medical Care, a well-equipped medical and diagnostic facility in Benin, LAPO Microfinance Bank, a leading microfinance institution in Africa, and LAPO Microfinance Company, Sierra Leone.