States invest $834.6m in NG-CARES to support 15 million poor Nigerians

The 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have, so far, invested the sum of $834.6 million in the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.

The programme has also, since 2021 when it was initiated impacted the lives and livelihoods of over 15 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Emeka Vitalis Obi, gave the figures at the weekend during the opening of a two-day stakeholder consultative meeting on the design of NG-CARES programme 2.0 in Abuja.

The programme, formerly known as COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme, is a $750 million World Bank-assisted scheme designed to expand access to livelihood support and food security services and grants for poor and vulnerable households and firms to mitigate the effects of the scourge.

Obi said the commitment by the states and the FCT is above the $645.74 million actual reimbursement to them by about 30 per cent. He noted that the commitment is a testament to the deep commitment of the sub-national governments to own and institutionalise NG-CARES and social protection in the country.

While reminding the stakeholders, the permanent secretary said: “As you may be aware, the NG-CARES programme has been extended by the Federal Government and approved by the World Bank to close on 31st May 2025. This is to give ample time to all stakeholders involved to conclude work on the design of the second phase of NG-CARES.”

He noted that the NG-CARES programme was a bold and strategic initiative of the Federal Government designed to mitigate endemic shocks that impoverish the poor and vulnerable citizens of the country.

“NG-CARES programme is a tripartite collaboration of Federal and state governments as well as the World Bank. It is aimed at delivering targeted interventions in social protection, basic services, food security and livelihood support to poor Nigerians.

“Therefore, let me admonish you intently to focus your discussions in the course of this meeting on practical and actionable recommendations that would make the NG-CARES 2.0 more impactful and sustainable,” he said.

He said the expectation of the Federal Government at the end of NG-CARES 2.0 is to build a strong, shock response system in Nigeria, especially at the sub-national levels.

“The system will not only respond to shocks but serve as a veritable tool for addressing the pervasive challenges of poverty, marginalisation and economic inclusion of the poor and vulnerable segment of our society,” he said.

Chairman of the Federal Cares Technical Committee, Elizabeth Egharebva, appreciated the permanent secretary for his support for the programme. She expressed satisfaction with the performance of the programme so far, noting the 4th round of the Independent Verification Agent (IVA) assessment, has once again demonstrated the programme’s capacity to deliver results.

“The assessment reaffirmed the significant impact of the NG-CARES Programme in mitigating the economic hardships faced by poor and vulnerable Nigerians during periods of crisis and various shocks,” she said.