UN, Sterling One Foundation push for SDGs

The United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Sterling One Foundation, and the United Nations in Nigeria have championed the cause for the acceleration of the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

At a high-level CEO Roundtable co-hosted by the trio, private sector leaders, development partners, and senior policymakers rallied around accelerating progress on the SDGs through six critical ‘transition pathways’ identified by the UN.

The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

With less than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, leaders agreed that progress must accelerate dramatically. Global SDG efforts are off-track, with only 17 per cent of targets on course amid overlapping crises.

The roundtable’s discussions focused on catalysing impact in six priority areas that offer high potential for accelerating development outcomes: food systems, energy access, digital connectivity, education, jobs and social protection, and climate resilience.

“The urgency is clear. Our efforts on the SDGs are not yet where they need to be. We are at a critical inflection point, less than five years from the 2030 deadline, with millions still trapped in multidimensional poverty and vulnerable to the cascading effects of climate change, inequality, and economic uncertainty.

“This is why convenings like this are timely and necessary, to build alignment, scale ideas, and drive action where it matters most.

The private sector must scale investments and take bold steps that create impact in communities,” noted the Chief Executive Officer, Sterling One Foundation, Olapeju Ibekwe, in her welcome address.

Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, Naomi Nwokolo, opened the forum by emphasising that aligning business strategies with the SDGs is both a moral and economic imperative.

“Accelerating SDG implementation is a clear business imperative for long-term success,” Nwokolo said, highlighting that the six transition pathways provide a “strategic lens for impactful investment.”

She urged companies to deepen engagement in these areas to “drive innovation, unlock new markets, and build resilience – directly contributing to a more prosperous future for all.”

Private sector leaders at the roundtable echoed this resolve. Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria and a former UN Global Compact Board member, Bola Adesola, challenged her peers to pursue bold actions in sustainable energy, food systems, and climate.

“The shift to cleaner, affordable energy is an unparalleled opportunity to unlock new economic frontiers, drive industrial growth, and ensure a sustainable future for all,” Adesola observed.

She painted a vision of Africa leading in climate-smart solutions, stressing that such leadership is “not beyond our reach” if businesses and policymakers work in tandem. Adesola framed the moment as one of legacy: “What legacy will we leave? We must rescue the SDGs by embedding them in our organizations with a sense of urgency,” she said, underscoring that it is “not just the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do” for long-term competitiveness.

From the policy side, the Nigerian government signalled alignment with these ambitions.

Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy & Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oyedele, addressed the gathering via video, outlining how fiscal reforms are being leveraged to enable SDG progress. He revealed that Nigeria’s forthcoming national fiscal policy will feature a dedicated section on the SDGs, aiming to hardwire development targets into governance.

Oyedele urged a re-think of how success is measured, arguing that governments should “start focusing more on SDGs than GDP” in their metrics. “We report GDP every quarter, but it doesn’t tell the story of sustainability or whether we’re lifting people out of poverty,” he noted.

Oyedele even advocated for a global ranking of countries by SDG performance to spur competition in sustainable development, because “whatever is not measured is not done.”

“Our goal is to embed the SDGs into the framework of policy and national planning,” he said, explaining that his committee is identifying and removing fiscal impediments to progress in each of the six priority areas.

The United Nations applauded the private sector’s proactive role and reinforced the call for partnership.

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, delivered remarks noting that “our ability to meet the SDGs now depends on one thing – collective, decisive action at the local level.

“By embedding the SDGs into our corporate strategy, supply chains, and investments, we are not just advancing global development; we are creating long-term value for our businesses, our people, and our planet.”