Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has urged for more help for disadvantaged families, highlighting the need for expanding access to education, healthcare, skills acquisition, decent livelihoods and economic possibilities, as part of efforts to eradicate poverty.
In a message to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the First Lady called on individuals, institutions and government to work toward building a society where everyone can live with dignity, hope and opportunities to realise their full potential.
Mrs Tinubu said the fight against poverty was a joint effort that needed compassion, effective interventions and persistent collaboration especially to enhance the living conditions of the disadvantaged households.
“The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2026 with the theme ‘United for Peace and Human Rights,’ is a reminder of our collective responsibility to build a society where every person can live with dignity and hope, access meaningful opportunities and thrive to realise their full potential,” she said.
“Providing vulnerable families with access to essential services and sustainable economic opportunities is crucial to helping them improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to society,” she stressed.
The First Lady also said real measures and coordinated efforts are needed to develop pathways out of poverty and foster shared prosperity.
Each year on 17 October, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is held to raise awareness of poverty and to inspire action to eradicate its causes and consequences.
The UN’s theme for 2026 to 2028 is “United for Peace and Human Rights”, with this year’s specific focus on “Safe Homes for All”. The ad exposes the connections between home instability, poverty and people’s capacity to enjoy basic rights and live in dignity. Some sort of substandard housing affects more than 2.8 billion people around the world, the UN says.
The observance also comes as worries continue over global poverty, inequality and limited access to key services. The UN has called for increased social protection, decent jobs, affordable housing and more investment to accelerate progress to eradicate poverty in all its manifestations.
Mrs Tinubu’s message is a reminder of the need to continue to focus on empowering disadvantaged households and making economic opportunities and basic services available to those who need them most.
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