Nigeria

Context

The cash and voucher assistance (CVA) landscape in Nigeria has rebounded to previous levels helping to address urgent needs in a complex humanitarian environment. Starting from $211 million in 2019, funding fell to $51 million in 2022, but increased to approximately $150 million in 2023 (a 194 per cent increase from the previous year), reflecting the ongoing reliance on this modality by humanitarian partners. Of this, multipurpose cash (MPC) – allocated to enable vulnerable households to address immediate life-saving needs while preserving their dignity and autonomy – also grew from $5.7 million in 2021 to almost $12 million in 2023.

In 2024, CVA delivery increased further, reaching $227 million by the end of November, with $11.7 million allocated to MPC, nearing the $12 million target.

Enabling factors:

• The Cash Working Group (CWG) strategy and workplan. The has six strategic focus areas to help strengthen coordination, collaboration, advocacy, scalability and harmonization, including information management and capacity-building, leveraging on the achievements and lessons learned from previous years. Strong government engagement, supported by linkages with frameworks like the National Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy, National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office and the Unified Social Registry, as well as compliance with legal frameworks like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering to enhance adherence with anti-money laundering standards and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 has further strengthened the response, especially in the BAY states.
• Adoption of anticipatory action approaches. Mitigating shocks before crises occur by acting early to provide households with CVA has become the ISCG’s default modality. This has helped people affected by disasters to protect their homes, livelihoods and health, and avoid negative coping mechanisms such as selling essential assets to cover evacuation costs in a sudden onset disaster. The CWG minimum expenditure basket provides guidance on the transfer value, and the registration and distribution of cash are completed prior to a disaster.

Multipurpose cash

People targeted: Over 42,000 households, including refugee returnees in Banki, Gwoza and parts of Adamawa, new IDPs, and host community members will be targeted for response utilizing the Unified Social Registry and state-level registries. This will enable precise and inclusive beneficiary selection, ensuring equitable coverage of the most vulnerable populations.

Budget: Estimated requirement of $15 million (4 per cent of total CVA requirement).

Transfer value: Monthly transfers of $118 per household aligned with the MEB, adjusted based on regular market assessments to maintain purchasing power.

Response to SO1: One-month transfers for shock response.

Response to SO2: Three-month transfers for sustained humanitarian needs.

Geographical focus: Programming is concentrated in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, tailored to local security conditions and access constraints. However, this template is expected to be replicated across Nigeria.

Monitoring indicators

Indicators for tracking MPC in 2025 include:

• number of households receiving MPC: 42,000 planned for 2025.
• percentage of households reporting improved access to basic needs due to MPC: 85 per cent target.
• rate of disbursement: $15 million planned for 2025.

Real-time dashboards and evidence-based tools (e.g., the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative) will support timely revisions to transfer values and MEB calculations, ensuring purchasing power is preserved amid changing market conditions. Additional indicators, such as timeliness of delivery, reductions in negative coping strategies and post-distribution monitoring (PDM) feedback will also be monitored.

CVA coordination arrangements

CVA coordination in Nigeria operates across four interconnected levels, ensuring effective planning, implementation, and monitoring of interventions:

1. National CWG: Based in Abuja, the national CWG provides strategic direction, policy guidance and technical oversight for CVA interventions nationwide. As the central coordination body, it ensures alignment of CVA activities with national priorities, harmonizes efforts across regions and sectors, and fosters coherence in programming. The group is co-led by OCHA and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development at the directorate level and includes humanitarian and development partners, government ministries, departments and agencies, and financial service providers.
2. Sub-national CWGs: The sub-national CWG, operating in the north-east, is co-chaired by OCHA and Catholic Relief Services. This group aligns its role with the functions outlined in the IASC’s new model for cash coordination, ensuring a consistent approach to CVA at the national level, in coordination with the national CWG. It coordinates CVA across 132 members, including humanitarian organizations, government representatives, donors and financial service providers.
3. Regional and state CWGs:

• North-east CWG: Focuses on BAY states, with two state-level CWGs: Adamawa CWG and Yobe CWG.
• North-west CWG: Addresses emerging needs in Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina.

Key priorities for 2025

• Coordination: harmonizing CVA activities across clusters and regions to minimize duplication and optimize resources.
• Technical support: providing guidance on transfer values, targeting methodologies and delivery mechanisms to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
• Capacity-building:
  • organizing training sessions and workshops to enhance the skills of member organizations in CVA design and implementation
  • developing interactive training modules in collaboration with partners like the Cash Learning Partnership Network
• Information management: collecting and analysing data on CVA interventions to inform evidence-based decision-making and strategic planning.
• Advocacy
  • engaging with government authorities and donorsto promote the adoption of CVA best practices
• aligning CVA interventions with national policies to secure funding and facilitate broader acceptance
• Expanding regional coverage:
  • enhancing the reach and functionality of regional CWGs
  • strengthening partnerships with FinTech providers to improve operational capacity and innovation