Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me to the 50th anniversary celebration of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

Inclusive and sustainable industrial development has a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

It lies at the heart of economic growth and creating decent jobs in Nigeria. l applaud the efforts of MAN in job creation through the advocacy and result-oriented services it provides to its members who drive manufacturing in Nigeria.  

But COVID-19 has derailed progress across all 17 SDGs.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, 

Thank you for inviting me to address you today.

In various countries, we are seeing stark reminders of the risk to development of poverty and economic collapse, conflict, political instability and natural disasters.

Across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has devastated lives and livelihoods and disrupted economies and societies. Today, a lopsided recovery is deepening inequalities.

Ladies and gentlemen, 

It is my great pleasure to address this distinguished panel at Osun State University. It is especially gratifying to do so on the occasion of Dr Folorunsho Alakija’s 70th birthday celebrations. As the first female University chancellor, Dr Alakija has been an inspiration to Nigerian women and girls. 

The theme of "Social Cohesion, Equity and Sustainability: Time for unity in Action” is especially relevant at a time when all countries in the world including Nigeria are strained by the ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Your Excellency the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Members of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen.
 
It is my pleasure to join you for the launch of “Scaling Fences”, a new publication from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
 
This report gives voice to more than three thousand irregular migrants – people who left their homes across 39 African nations and traveled to Europe in search of a better life.
 

It is my honor to be here today representing the United Nations on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to mark the first day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. Starting today and over the next 16 days, all around the world, we will bring to the fore, the voices of women and girls’ survivors and activists and ensure their voices and stories are heard and action is taken.
 

I am pleased to send greetings to this International Conference on Lake Chad, and I commend the Government of Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Commission for organizing it.
 
Lake Chad was once a major source of livelihoods for millions of people living throughout its basin.  Today, the lake’s water level has shrunk 90 per cent compared with what it was in the 1960s, and its surface area has decreased from 22,000 square kilometres to a mere 1,350 square kilometres.