The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro, has unveiled a new green agenda aimed at tackling poverty while strengthening environmental protection across Nigeria.
Speaking during the meeting with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Minister outlined plans to combat deforestation and leverage carbon credit systems as innovative tools for reducing poverty and protecting vulnerable communities.
Earlier today, Dr. Doro met with an IOM delegation led by its Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Sharon Dimanche. The engagement signalled a deepening partnership between the Ministry and the UN migration agency, particularly in joint efforts to curb poverty, expand social protection, and address the complex displacement challenges affecting millions of Nigerians.
Dimanche commended the Minister’s leadership, emphasising that his Ministry plays a pivotal role in supporting government efforts to improve the lives of citizens. She added that IOM’s mission aligns closely with the Minister’s agenda of poverty reduction through programmes that complement Nigeria’s national social protection framework.
She further explained that IOM operates in more than 25 states, providing humanitarian support, advancing migration governance, strengthening community stabilisation and camp management, and offering technical assistance to national emergency coordination structures.
During the meeting, the delegation expressed concern over the rising scale of displacement across the country. As of July 2025, the North-East alone hosts more than 2.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), the highest nationwide. The North-West has over 650,000 displaced persons, while the North-Central region accounts for more than 600,000.
Dimanche also praised Dr. Doro’s commitment to innovation and collaboration, noting that his approach reflects both IOM’s mandate and Nigeria’s broader humanitarian and development priorities.
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Responding, Dr. Doro expressed appreciation for IOM’s long-standing support to Nigeria, particularly its visible contributions to displacement management, resettlement, and community stabilisation. He stressed that while emergency interventions remain essential, the country must increasingly address the root causes of recurring crises, especially poverty.
The Minister reaffirmed his commitment to proactive policies that prevent humanitarian crises before they escalate. He highlighted that his vision places the National Social Register at the centre of coordinated interventions and underscored the importance of stronger collaboration with state governments.
Dr. Doro also reiterated the Ministry’s focus on green initiatives, particularly efforts to curb deforestation and expand carbon credit systems as strategic tools for poverty reduction and environmental protection. He noted that such initiatives are crucial to shielding communities from the impacts of climate change while creating new economic opportunities.
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to strengthen its partnership with IOM and other development actors to deliver sustainable solutions for displaced persons and vulnerable populations across the country.
