Achi Warns Against Cash Transfers for Poverty Alleviation

At the 2026 Gender and Inclusion Summit organized by the Policy Innovation Centre, Patrick Achi, the former Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly of Côte d’Ivoire, warned Nigeria and other African governments against fostering dependency on cash transfers and grants for poverty alleviation. He stated that while these financial aids can save lives, they should not become the primary economic model.

Achi emphasized that the most sustainable way to alleviate poverty is through enabling economic productivity, creating wealth, jobs, and opportunities. He cautioned against creating a "poverty-alleviation industry" that merely manages poverty without addressing its root causes.

Additionally, Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq, First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Forum, advocated for increased female representation in decision-making roles, highlighting gender inequality as a barrier to sustainable development. Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, noted the importance of ensuring that policy commitments effectively reach the intended beneficiaries.