By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Fight Inequality Alliance (FIA) Nigeria has called for stronger collaboration among government, civil society organisations, development partners and citizens to address widening inequality across the country.

The call was made in Abuja during activities marking the Global Day to Fight Inequality, where stakeholders urged authorities to adopt policies that would ensure equitable access to opportunities, wealth and basic services.

Speaking at the event, Convener of FIA Nigeria, Ekaete Umoh, said the alliance was committed to providing a common platform for collective action against inequality in all sectors.

She described FIA as a global movement of civil society organisations, activists and grassroots networks working towards a just, equal and sustainable world.

According to her, inequality remains prevalent in critical sectors including healthcare, education, gender, youth participation, disability inclusion and access to economic opportunities.

Umoh said previous advocacy efforts such as the “Not Too Young to Run” campaign and the campaign that culminated in the signing of the Disability Act in 2019 demonstrated that sustained collaboration could help reduce inequality.

“Our vision is to stand together to fight every form of inequality. We want a society where everyone has equal opportunities and access to resources,” she said.

She added that the alliance was advocating a fairer distribution of wealth and resources to enable all Nigerians to live with dignity, while urging the government to create more opportunities for civil society organisations to contribute practical solutions towards reducing inequality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We are not just pointing out problems; we are bringing solutions and asking the government to open up the space for dialogue and partnership,” Umoh said.

Also speaking, Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, said inequality had reached alarming levels, with a small proportion of the global population controlling a significant share of wealth.

She cited National Bureau of Statistics data showing that about 63 per cent of Nigerians experience multidimensional poverty, which extends beyond income deprivation to include poor housing, inadequate healthcare, lack of quality education and limited access to other essential services.

Nwadishi called for policies that promote equitable wealth distribution, fair taxation and stronger social protection programmes, while stressing the need to remove barriers limiting opportunities for women, young people and other vulnerable groups.

She also advocated cultural and institutional reforms to eliminate discriminatory practices and improve inclusion.

Chief Executive Officer of the Kids & Teens Resource Centre, Martin-Mary Falana, urged the government to establish systems that discourage excessive wealth accumulation while protecting the welfare of vulnerable citizens.

Falana proposed higher taxation on luxury assets as a means of discouraging excessive accumulation of wealth, arguing that the gap between the rich and poor had become increasingly pronounced.

He also called for policies requiring political leaders and public officials to depend on Nigeria’s healthcare system, saying such measures would encourage greater investment in the country’s health sector.