At the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), global development partners alongside Nigerian representatives emphasized the urgent need to enhance collaboration and mobilize resources to address the significant financial shortfalls jeopardizing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
During the UNGA Side Event focused on High-Level Executive Global Sustainable Investments and Grant Interventions 2025, Kunle Yusuff, Executive Vice-Chairman/CEO of Merited Negotiation Consulting and Chairman of the Organising Committee Roundtable 2025, highlighted that an annual investment ranging from $5 to $7 trillion is essential from 2023 through 2030 to support SDG-related initiatives globally.
He further pointed out that climate finance alone demands an investment exceeding $15 trillion, with yearly requirements estimated at $7.2 trillion.
Additionally, Yusuff projected that investments in artificial intelligence (AI) between 2025 and 2030 would surpass $10 trillion.
Yusuff cautioned that for state and local governments, civil society groups, and NGOs to maintain their influence in global development, they must adopt proactive roles rather than remain passive observers.
“We convene at a pivotal moment in history where achieving global sustainability, fairness, and prosperity calls for decisive action and unified dedication,” he remarked.
He emphasized that investing strategically in sustainable development is not only an ethical obligation but also an economic opportunity, with transitions to low-carbon economies presenting avenues for economic expansion, employment growth, and poverty alleviation.
Highlighting the importance of innovative financing, Yusuff underscored that public-private partnerships are vital to bridging funding gaps, urging governments, civil society, and private sector players to champion sustainable projects and initiatives that generate social impact.
“The 2030 Global Agenda serves as a blueprint for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals,” he stated.
“Achieving this vision requires mobilizing grant funding and investments that back sustainable development efforts worldwide, alongside fostering public-private collaborations that drive innovation and amplify social impact,” Yusuff added.
The event featured prominent Nigerian officials such as Ambassador Abubakar Jidda, Consular General of Nigeria in New York; Mr. Syndoph Endoni from Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the UN; governors from Ondo, Benue, Kaduna, and Gombe States; as well as international participants including Charles Kamin of RMC Advisory Group, Canada; Hope Sullivan, President/CEO of the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation; and Judith Oghenekaro from Gender for Education Empowerment & Entrepreneurship, USA.
Collectively, these stakeholders committed to reinforcing alliances that promote climate action, social equity, and economic empowerment, emphasizing that securing sustainable investments is the most reliable strategy to fulfill the SDG targets by 2030.
