Global Policy Forum

Kingsley Omonobi

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), is to enter into partnership with the private sector in Nigeria to contribute a percentage of its profits to the funds's country programme of assistance. Since 1974 when the Fund began operation in Nigeria, spending about $100 million to assist the government in its population-related activities, this is the first time it would openly call for financial collaboration with the private sector.

Addressing stakeholders, Mr. Niangoran Essan, UNFPA representative in Nigeria, said that the contribution would be from 2003 and 2007, in the form of Country Development Assistance Funds (CODAF). The contribution will be 0.7 percent of profits which will assist in creating a pool of sustainable in-country funds. "We will also engage representatives of the Nigerian government in working out modalities for extending tax rebates in organisations contributing funds in excess of $100,000 to UNFPA-assisted projects," Essan said.

He said that without the private sector, it would be impossible to bridge the ever-widening gap between the needs of developing countries and the funds that were available to meet them. "This is the reason why we appeal to engage you all in partnership and there are already strong indications that many meaningful patnerships will emerge henceforth," Essan said.

He said that organisations might also wish to co-fund specific projects with UNFPA, or to contribute to non-specific activities of the UNFPA programme. Organisations could also subscribe to UNFPA's prescribed minimum reproductive health quality of care in their facilities such as clinics and health centres, he said. Individuals could also support the effort as volunteers by becoming "Askable" Parents/Guardian/Mentors.

He said that on the whole, all organisations that partner with UNFPA would be eligible for the different categories of the Partners in Youth Development Award. UNFPA's areas of assistance are in population and development strategies, adolescent reproductive health and advocacy. It is rounding off its fourth country programme of assistance at the end of this year during which $32.5 million is being spent, and preparing for its next country programme of assistance, from 2003 to 2007, for which about $35 million has been budgeted. It is currently operating in 12 states while plans are underway to increase the number of states in the next cycle.

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