President Tinubu
Olamilekan Abayomi
President Bola Tinubu has declared 2026 as the “Year of Families and Social Development” in Nigeria, aiming to strengthen family structures and address poverty, insecurity, and social instability. This move places the family unit at the center of Nigeria’s national development strategy, recognizing that strong families are crucial for sustainable economic growth, national security, and social cohesion.
The declaration is part of Tinubu’s broader “Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions,” a nine-pillar framework targeting improved outcomes for women and children. The initiative aligns with global commitments under the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
The Nigeria Families First Programme (NFFP) will serve as the primary platform for implementing family-focused interventions. The programme aims to ease economic pressures on households, improve child welfare, and strengthen social stability indicators. Key components include support for sustainable family livelihoods, parenting education, expanded child-focused social protection, and improved access to healthcare, housing, and professional care services.
Tinubu emphasized that investing in family stability reduces vulnerability and long-term instability. He directed all arms and levels of government to align programmes and policies with the new designation, ensuring coordinated action nationwide.
The declaration follows Tinubu’s January state visit to Türkiye, where Nigeria signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding on family cohesion and social welfare cooperation. The agreement will guide reforms in social services, child protection, and community-based support systems.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stated that the administration is moving beyond policy statements to concrete action, institutionalizing coordinated family policies nationwide.
The initiative is expected to address deep-rooted challenges such as poverty, insecurity, and social instability by strengthening family structures. The government plans to roll out detailed action plans and partnerships in the coming months to translate the policy into measurable improvements in Nigerian families’ lives .
