UN Resident Coordinator commends Sterling One Foundation on SDGs

THE United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, has commended the Sterling One Foundation for creating a convening to accelerate growth towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals across Africa.

This was shared during a two-day hybrid event held on July 13-14, 2022, at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja which had about 4,000 registered delegates from 55 countries in attendance.

Giving a keynote address at the event on the theme, ‘Rethink, Rebuild, Recover: Accelerating Growth for the SDGs’, Mr Schmale noted that the theme was apt, timely, relevant and required.

This was in view of  the economic regression across Africa occasioned by the pandemic, the volatilities caused by the Ukraine war and the fact there was just eight years to go before 2030.

He commended the leadership of the Sterling One Foundation, stressing that there was need for intensive collaborations and partnerships among African leaders across the public and private sectors, including the civil society groups to aid the achievement of not just the 2030 goals but also the African Union’s 2063 goals.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, noted that the summit had in-depth and insightful panel sessions on climate action, education access and funding, primary healthcare, youth and gender empowerment, impact investment and governance which gave a good appreciation of the 17 interlinked global goals.

She added that a recurring resolution that came through in all the panel sessions was the need for elimination of silo executions and embracing of collaborations by all sector players.

Financing strategies, impact measurement and evaluation of such impact was also discussed as it was clear that the SDGs require financing to become a reality with an estimated amount of $1.3 trillion annually in Africa as shared by the UN and over $300 billion to block the gap in Nigeria.

“Various deals from four African countries were brought to the summit’s Deal Room with innovative solutions that cut across the education, health, construction, renewable energy and food security sectors.

“Most of these businesses already have conditional commitments from our investors at the event and we expect to seal these deals in the coming weeks working with the investees. We will continue facilitating financing for purpose and profit driven business solutions that will help promote access to health and education for all while guaranteeing returns for impact investors locally and globally,” she added.

She noted that the Foundation was already working with various partners and would continue in this light as the event was organised in partnership with the United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Sterling Bank, the Coca Cola Company, VFD Group, the Impact Investors Foundation, Giving.ng, the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC), the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Ventures Africa, Proshare and Tech Cabal.