The SDGs Festival of Ideas is an International Festival scheduled to hold for 17 days, to INFORM, IMPACT and INNOVATE on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals in achieving Agenda 2030.

The Festival of Ideas (FOI) is a project hosted by a network of NGOs including Youth Initiative for Progress (YiPAfrica), led by IBI Foundation and Foundation for Inclusive Development and Accountability (FIDA) in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (Social Investment Program) and Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on SDGs (OSSAP-SDGs). The festival is intended to identify, amplify and unify individuals and organizations with highly innovative and impactful ideas on Nigeria’s response to achieving the SDG’s.

The Executive Director of Youth Initiative for Progress Africa (YiPAfrica) disclosed that YiPAfrica will be coordinating Goal 9 – Day 9 of the festival themed ‘Lets BUILD NIGERIA TOGETHER” scheduled to hold on the 11^th September 2019 in Abuja.  Sustainable Development Goal 9 is based on three economic development powerhouse: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. These are interconnected to navigate the growth of a nation and they all share the objective of achieving societal inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic development.

SDG 9 has approximately five (5) targets:

• To develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.
• Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries.
• Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
• By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
• Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending.

1. Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and Small Island Developing States.
2. Support domestic technology development, research, and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities.
3. Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in the least developed countries by 2020.

These targets are closely linked to other SDGs related to job creation, sustainable livelihoods, improved Health, Technology, Human Capital Development, and Decent Work, Gender equality, Food security, Green energy, and Climate change. In addition, the review underscored linkages with and positive impacts on other SDGs, as Infrastructure, Industries, and Innovation are enablers of growth and sustainable development for the stimulation of SDG implementation in countries broadly.

With participation of key stakeholders in Science, Technology, Works and Infrastructure, Government agencies, Civil Society Groups, and Private Sector, SDG Goal 9 side event during the festival will play significant role in creating different pathways to recommending possible strategic engagement with Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Joint Ventures (JV) to solving Nigeria’s infrastructural deficits in meeting her growing populations.

Amongst Other high-level Panel discussions will include:

• Boosting the value chain and exploring opportunities of the 4^th industrial revolution.
• Human capital development, harnessing exportable knowledge on Information Technology and Innovation for economic growth.
• Transportation (fast, accessible and affordable means of transportation) beaming more on alternative means and Nigeria’s National Air Carrier and Financing.
• Identifying factors affecting Manufacturing and Up-Scaling Made in Nigeria goods to meet ISO for exports.
• Affordable Housing
• Power: Exploring alternative source on clean and renewable energy
• Affordable internet service coverage
• Credit guarantee by FGN for the growth of SME’s

While we anticipate the adoption of our recommendations, Nigeria needs to start building. Build resilient infrastructure; promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation to meet up the challenges ahead of Nigeria’s projected population growth of 265 million people in 2030, 150 million of which will be below the age of 25 – World Poverty Clock.

Let us Build Nigeria TOGETHER.