Delivering the keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, commended humanitarian workers across Nigeria, assuring them their services are valued and encouraging them to remain committed to their calling. Dr. Doro said every vulnerable Nigerian should know that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR stands with them through the Renewed Hope Agenda, and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to a coordination system that is nationally driven, professionally managed, locally responsive, and financially sustainable — built on collaboration among federal, state and local governments, development partners, civil society, academia, faith-based organisations and the private sector. He highlighted the Ministry’s One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS) as a key national framework designed to cut duplication, strengthen institutional collaboration, promote data-driven decision-making, and integrate humanitarian assistance with recovery, resilience, social protection and poverty reduction. The Minister called for greater investment in the welfare, professional development, remuneration and incentives of humanitarian personnel, describing a motivated workforce as critical to an effective humanitarian system. He described this year’s theme as more than a slogan, framing it as an instruction that solidarity without local strength cannot outlast crisis, just as local strength without solidarity is a burden no community should carry alone. Dr. Doro also described Nigeria’s shift from a predominantly UN-coordinated humanitarian architecture to a government-led coordination system as a strategic investment in the nation’s resilience and sovereignty, adding that the Ministry stands ready to lead the transition. He called for accelerated implementation of the National Humanitarian Poverty Reduction Trust Fund, alongside stronger domestic financing through predictable budgetary allocations, innovative mechanisms, and expanded private sector and philanthropic participation. In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, recalled the origins of World Humanitarian Day, tracing it to the 19 August 2003 bombing of the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, which killed 22 people, including UN Special Representative Sergio Vieira de Mello. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the link between humanitarian action, poverty reduction, social protection and sustainable development. NIHA Board Chairman, Engr. Morgan Okwoche, welcomed the partnership with the Ministry and called for stronger collaboration in humanitarian service delivery. The event also featured goodwill messages from the Federal Commissioner for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Mr. Aliyu Tijani; representatives of the National Population Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Zamfara State Government; and the Country Director of International NGOs, Mr. Ndubuisi Anyanwu, among others. Cultural performances included a set by IDP star artist OG Abbah Mohammed Abubakar.