Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for expanded access to education, healthcare, skills acquisition, decent livelihoods and economic opportunities as part of efforts to lift vulnerable families out of poverty.
Tinubu made the call on Saturday in a message to commemorate the 2026 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed annually on October 17.
The 2026 commemoration is themed “Dignity, Opportunity, and Shared Prosperity,” highlighting the importance of creating an inclusive society where everyone has access to opportunities to improve their living conditions and contribute to national development.
The First Lady said the occasion served as a reminder of the collective responsibility to build a society where every individual could live with dignity and hope, access meaningful opportunities and realise their full potential.
According to her, tackling poverty requires sustained efforts to ensure that individuals and families, particularly those in vulnerable situations, can access essential services and opportunities needed to improve their quality of life.
“We must continue expanding access to education, healthcare, skills, decent livelihoods, and economic opportunities, especially for vulnerable families,” she said.
She stressed that access to quality education, healthcare and skills development remained essential to empowering individuals, improving household welfare and creating pathways towards financial stability.
Tinubu also emphasised the importance of creating opportunities for decent livelihoods, noting that efforts to address poverty should focus on enabling people to improve their circumstances and build more secure futures for themselves and their families.
She further called for compassion, effective interventions and sustained collaboration among relevant stakeholders to address the challenges confronting vulnerable families.
“Through compassion, effective interventions, and sustained collaboration, we can create pathways out of poverty and toward shared prosperity,” she said.
The First Lady’s message underscored the need for collective action to address poverty and promote a society in which people have the opportunity to fulfil their aspirations, regardless of their economic circumstances.
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed every October 17 to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people living in poverty and encourage actions aimed at improving their living conditions.
The day also provides an opportunity for governments, organisations and communities to reflect on measures that can promote social inclusion, expand access to essential services and create sustainable economic opportunities for disadvantaged populations.
With its 2026 theme, “Dignity, Opportunity, and Shared Prosperity,” the commemoration highlights the importance of ensuring that efforts to tackle poverty go beyond immediate assistance to include opportunities that enable individuals and families to achieve lasting improvements in their standard of living.