The United Nations Development Programme and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta have formalised a strategic partnership to advance integrated, scalable development and investment solutions across the Niger Delta.
The partnership, established through a Memorandum of Understanding under the Integrated Smart States Programme, aims to accelerate inclusive economic transformation, strengthen institutions, promote climate resilience, and deliver sustainable development outcomes.
In a statement, both organisations said the agreement goes beyond collaboration by creating a joint platform for designing, financing, and implementing investment-ready development solutions.
They noted that the initiative would bring together policy, delivery, and financing into a coordinated system capable of delivering results at scale.
The programme, anchored within UNDP Nigeria’s Integrated Smart States Programme, signals a shift from fragmented interventions to integrated, multi-sector development portfolios linking enterprise growth, clean energy, innovation, and community resilience.
Under the arrangement, UNDP will deploy its global development expertise, policy advisory capabilities, and investment mobilisation platforms, while PIND will contribute its experience in regional partnerships, peacebuilding, and programme implementation in the Niger Delta.
The partnership will focus on clean and renewable energy for underserved communities, community resilience, MSME growth, trade and investment facilitation, innovation ecosystems, digital transformation, and data-driven development.
It will also promote conflict-sensitive programming to ensure that economic opportunities are supported by stability and that development gains are protected.
The UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, Elsie Attafuah, said the collaboration would deepen impact and unlock investment opportunities.
“This collaboration reflects the importance of integrated, multi-sectoral approaches to development. By combining UNDP’s global experience with PIND’s deep regional knowledge, we are strengthening our ability to deliver solutions that are scalable, inclusive, and responsive to local realities, while unlocking pathways for investment and long-term impact,” Attafuah said.
The Executive Director of PIND, Sam Daibo, described the partnership as a major step towards linking economic growth with peace and resilience.
“This partnership represents a significant step in strengthening systems that connect economic opportunity, peacebuilding, and resilience. Together with UNDP, we are well-positioned to scale solutions that are locally grounded, investment-ready, and capable of delivering lasting impact across the Niger Delta,” Daibo noted.
The MoU provides a framework for sustained cooperation, enabling both organisations to jointly design, implement, and scale programmes while mobilising partnerships across government, the private sector, civil society, and development finance institutions.
The partners added that the initiative underscores the growing role of strategic alliances, including philanthropic and private sector actors, in unlocking investments and accelerating development outcomes.
Following the signing, both institutions will develop a three-year joint programme document and financing framework, set up a Joint Technical Working Group, and identify initial investment-ready programme pipelines.
They added that the partnership is expected to evolve into a multi-state, multi-partner platform to support Nigeria’s drive for inclusive growth, resilience, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.
