World Development Information Day: Nigeria still a developing Nation

Information plays a crucial role in shaping people’s minds and our World. Hence, the United Nations celebrates World Development Information Day every year on 24 October, marking the importance of the dissemination of information among people.

The day coincides with the United Nations Day which also falls on 24 October.

The main aim of this day is to promote the dissemination of information and mobilise public opinion, particularly among young people, in order to create awareness of the problems of development, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for development.

The United Nations expressly devotes the day to push the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations Development Programme report in 2017 showed that Nigeria ranked number 157 out of 189 countries in Human development, which is the average quality of life and standard of living. The report measured national achievement in areas relating to health, education and income/standard of living in 189 countries.

UNDP said the Nigerian government has been helpful in attaining desired human development, highlighting that it will continue to help the West African country towards the SDGs promise- a promise of a just, equitable and sustainable planet – our common heritage; a promise of peace and prosperity for all.

It said it has supported the Nigeria government in conducting the SDGs Data Mapping Exercise and conducting a Baseline Surveys whose results have been useful in developing baseline indicators for SDGs implementation, monitoring and reporting in the country.