During the 10th joint World Bank–French Development Agency Implementation Support Mission of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) in Abuja, stakeholders reviewed progress and reaffirmed the importance of strengthening rural connectivity and resilience across Nigeria. The mission, held from 4 to 8 May, brought together government representatives, development partners, and technical experts to assess achievements and chart the way forward for inclusive economic growth.
ILO’s Chief of the EMPINVEST Branch, Ms. Mito Tsukamoto, commended Nigeria’s Federal and State Governments for their leadership in advancing job creation, rural transformation, and the Decent Work Agenda. She emphasized that RAAMP demonstrates how strategic investments in rural access can transform lives, strengthen resilience, and stimulate local economies, particularly in the face of climate shocks and economic uncertainty.
RAAMP’s integrated approach combines infrastructure development with institutional strengthening, socio‑economic inclusion, and a strong commitment to decent work. By prioritizing employment‑intensive methods, the programme delivers durable infrastructure while maximizing local participation, skills development, and job opportunities. This aligns closely with the ILO’s Employment‑Intensive Investment Programme, which has shown that people‑centred infrastructure can reduce poverty and promote inclusive growth.
Looking ahead, the ILO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting RAAMP’s next phase, which includes expansion to seven additional states, scaling up community‑based maintenance groups, strengthening capacity development, and embedding decent work principles in Nigeria’s construction sector. Special emphasis will be placed on promoting the inclusion of women and marginalized groups, alongside the use of appropriate and digital technologies for planning and monitoring.
Ms. Tsukamoto highlighted the importance of strong partnerships with the Government of Nigeria, RAAMP, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and international development partners such as the World Bank, AFD, AfDB, EIB, and IsDB. She concluded by stressing that RAAMP’s expansion reaffirms a shared vision of building infrastructure that delivers not only roads but also jobs, dignity, and opportunity, with a focus on ensuring the quality of jobs created for lasting benefits to communities and local economies.
