Federal Government showcases Integrated National Financing Framework as Ethiopia studies Nigeria’s model for mobilising investment and accelerating sustainable development

The Federal Government has reinforced the Nigeria SDG Financing Partnership by hosting a high-level delegation from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to showcase Nigeria’s Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF), strengthening the country’s position as one of Africa’s leading advocates of innovative financing for sustainable development.

The three-day experience exchange, held in Abuja and coordinated through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), brought together senior government officials, development partners, fiscal experts, policymakers and revenue administrators to explore strategies for mobilising and coordinating financing to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Also participating were chairmen and senior representatives of the Boards of Internal Revenue Services from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, reflecting the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening fiscal capacity at the sub-national level as a key pillar of sustainable development financing.

Organised in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with financial support from the European Union, the exchange highlighted Nigeria’s growing leadership in implementing the Integrated National Financing Framework and its emergence as a reference point for other African countries seeking to improve domestic resource mobilisation, public financial management and private sector investment.

Speaking at the opening session, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said strengthening fiscal governance across states is essential to delivering sustainable development.

She explained that state governments remain at the forefront of providing critical public services, including primary healthcare, basic education, water supply, sanitation, agriculture, infrastructure and local economic development.

According to Orelope-Adefulire, the Integrated National Financing Framework provides governments with a comprehensive platform for coordinating domestic resource mobilisation, improving expenditure efficiency, strengthening public financial management, attracting private investment and deploying innovative financing mechanisms.

“The INFF recognises that achieving sustainable development cannot rely solely on traditional public financing,” she said.

“Strengthening fiscal capacity at the sub-national level is not merely a technical exercise; it is a strategic imperative.”

Delivering a keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Professor Taiwo Oyedele, described the framework as a transformative approach to financing development.

He said the INFF represents “a fundamentally different way of thinking about how nations mobilise, align and deploy financing for sustainable development,” adding that future development financing would depend not only on the availability of resources but also on how effectively governments coordinate and invest them in national priorities.

Professor Oyedele linked the framework to the Federal Government’s ongoing fiscal and tax reforms, noting that stronger domestic revenue mobilisation and institutional reforms are critical to expanding development financing while supporting economic growth, enterprise development and voluntary tax compliance.

The United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Nigeria, Ms Elsie G. Attafuah, said sustainable development goals are ultimately delivered at the sub-national level.

She observed that stronger fiscal institutions enable governments to invest more effectively in education, healthcare, infrastructure, entrepreneurship and job creation, translating policy commitments into measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.

Leading the Ethiopian delegation, Mr Solomon Tesfasilassie Tegene described the visit as a powerful example of South-South cooperation and commended Nigeria for sharing practical lessons on innovative financing, domestic resource mobilisation, governance structures, monitoring systems and private sector engagement.

He said the knowledge gained during the exchange would support Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts to strengthen sustainable development financing and institutional reforms.

Throughout the three-day programme, participants examined Nigeria’s governance arrangements, financing strategies, reform coordination mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation systems, and emerging sub-national implementation framework under the INFF.

The discussions also focused on strengthening collaboration among African countries in designing nationally owned financing strategies capable of addressing growing development challenges amid tightening fiscal conditions.

Nigeria’s Integrated National Financing Framework is designed to mobilise greater public and private financing for sustainable development in line with national priorities.

The framework is chaired by the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and co-chaired by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, while the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals serves as its secretariat.

The exchange marks another significant step in Nigeria’s expanding role in shaping development financing across Africa.

As governments on the continent seek innovative solutions to close financing gaps amid global economic uncertainty, the Nigeria-Ethiopia engagement reinforced the value of South-South cooperation, stronger institutions and coordinated investment strategies in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.