The Federal Government disclosed that it would require an average of N4 trillion yearly between 2009 and the target year of 2015 for Nigeria to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The projected N4 trillion expenditure would come from federal, state and local governments' budgets, contributions from public/private partnerships and international donor community.

This was the outcome of the second and third quarterly meeting of the Presidential Committee on the MDGs chaired by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and attended by Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, chairman of the Governors' Forum, representatives of the governors from the six geo-political zones, the international donor community, private sector and the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

In a related development, President Yar'Adua has stated that Nigeria and Norway would partner towards achieving the MDGs by year 2015.

The President, in a meeting with the out-going Ambassador of Norway, Mr. Tore Nedredo, in his office, commended Norway's contributions to the reduction of child mortality rate in particular and improving good governance in general in Nigeria.

He assured Nedredo that the Nigerian government would strengthen the current excellent relations between both countries while collaborating in the areas of global poverty eradication, peace and security.

Mr. Nedredo, who described his four years in Nigeria as "interesting and rewarding," expressed delight that Norway under his charge in Nigeria was able to launch child and maternal death reduction projects in Katsina, Yobe, Jigawa and Zamfara States.

The out-going ambassador also spoke on his country's contributions towards improving good governance and commitments already made to ensuring free and fair general elections in 2011 in Nigeria.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on the MDGs, Hajia Amina Ibrahim, said that the Federal Government has so far spent N321 billion between 2006 and 2008 on different MDGs projects across the country.

Ibrahim, however, regretted that Nigeria is "a donor orphan," which accounts for a shortfall of about N1 trillion from inability of the donor community to meet up with the targeted commitments to the nation.

She said that of the N321 billion for the 2006-2008, which covered expenditure on education, water and agriculture, 68 per cent of the budget was expended while the remaining 32 per cent was returned to the treasury.

Ibrahim, who said Nigeria was on target in achieving poverty reduction, primary education and health goals of the MDGs, noted that the country is expected to take about 27 million people  out of the poverty line by 2015.

The presidential aide listed the constraints faced by Nigeria towards meeting the MDGs target to include inadequate funding, capacity building, transparency and accountability in project executions.

She stated that the Conditional Grant Scheme for arrangement was successful in 18 states of the federation in 2007 with 97 per cent compliance. However, in 2008, it was successful in only eight states due to policy changes by state governments and elections, she said.

Hajia Ibrahim said: "To date, what has been appropriated is N321 billion for 2006 to 2008. Of that, the sectors that got the large share included those of health, agriculture, education and water. With the analysis of what has been achieved, we have conceded that about 68 per cent was expended. The rest, in various sectors, were returned to the treasury.

"The N321 billion, as large as it is, is not in any way near what we need to attain the MDGs. What Mr. President was saying was that with the amount, people would imagine that if we concentrate on them, we would make a considerable impact in one, two or three of the goals. But if we spread it so thin, then we can say that people don't feel the impact of the MDGs in some villages because we are talking of an average yearly budget requirement of N4 trillion to attain the MDGs between now and 2015.