Nigeria joined the international community on Saturday, 17 October 2026, to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, with a call on all Nigerians to protect the vulnerable in society.

The event, held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, was themed "United for Peace and Human Rights", with the 2026 focus "Safe Homes for All".

Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard M. Doro, urged all well-meaning Nigerians to protect the vulnerable in order to achieve a peaceful environment.

He recalled that, under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 11, the world promised to end poverty in all its forms and to ensure access to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services. With only four years left to the 2030 Agenda, he said, "Today is a day to ask ourselves honestly how far we have come, and what more we must do."

The Minister said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, through the Renewed Hope Agenda, is working to reduce poverty drastically through a multidimensional approach that draws in all stakeholders. The ministry's One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) is central to this effort, he said, adding that the fight against poverty is also a fight for peace.

"Our task in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction is therefore twofold: to protect Nigerians who are vulnerable today, and to open pathways that make them resilient and economically independent tomorrow," Dr Doro said.

He explained that the ministry is moving from palliatives to pathways. Palliatives help a family survive a crisis, he said, while pathways ensure the family does not need palliatives again.

According to him, the Household Prosperity and Economic Social Protection Project (HOPE-SP) represents this new direction, moving interventions from a predominantly relief-oriented approach towards sustainable pathways to recovery, empowerment and self-reliance.

He said OHOPRS brings humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction, economic inclusion and graduation under one national operating model, with the household, a mother and her children, at the centre of how the ministry intervenes and measures success. This, he said, is how Nigeria is answering the call of SDG 1 to build social protection systems for all and to strengthen the resilience of the poor against shocks.

In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Olubunmi Olusanya, said the ministry's initiatives reflect a strong commitment to poverty reduction. He stressed that poverty cannot be eradicated by government alone but requires the collaboration of stakeholders. He thanked all stakeholders for their contributions and called for more support to help Nigeria succeed.

Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the European Union, African Aids International, the World Food Programme, the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Fidelity Bank PLC, among others. All pledged their commitment to reducing poverty for a safe and peaceful nation.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of palliatives to some vulnerable persons.