ABUJA, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian government on Wednesday launched a four-year national development plan which aims to provide for the implementation of major infrastructure and other development projects across the country.
The National Development Plan (NDP 2021-2025) was inaugurated by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during the weekly cabinet meeting at the state house in Abuja. The new document was designed to replace the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2017-2020) which ended in December 2020.
Speaking at the short ceremony to launch the document, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed said the government aimed to take necessary actions that will fundamentally change the structure of the economy and how government businesses are conducted for efficiency and effectiveness through the new medium-term development plan.
"The ERGP 2017-2020 assisted the country to exit economic recession in 2017 and sustained modest growth until the recent global economic challenges occasioned by COVID-19 Pandemic," Ahmed said, noting the current challenges were products of many years of inappropriate policies, fiscal leakages, and global economic phenomena.
The new plan would help Nigeria achieve robust development in the science and technology sectors, the minister told Buhari and other senior officials present at the inauguration.
"It is very important to note that the Plan is a pointer to the type of Nigeria we all desire and encourages the use of science, technology and innovation to drive growth," she said.
The NDP 2021-2025 will help Nigeria achieve its agenda at the continental and global levels, according to the minister. Enditem
