The Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), a Nigerian indigenous non-profit organisation, has urged the federal government to establish a national framework for monitoring and evaluating humanitarian interventions across Nigeria.

The group said the proposed framework would ensure better coordination, accountability, and collective progress in poverty reduction efforts nationwide.
The call was made at the maiden edition of the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction held in Calabar. Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, stressed the need for a comprehensive national framework to harmonise humanitarian activities at all levels of government.

“We challenge the council to develop a national framework that will enable the operationalisation and coordination of all humanitarian interventions, in alignment with the Central Delivery Coordination Unit established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2022,” Walker said.
In a memorandum submitted to the council, she highlighted existing challenges in the humanitarian sector, noting that interventions vary significantly from state to state. According to her, this lack of uniformity makes coordinated monitoring and evaluation of poverty reduction programmes difficult.

“This inconsistency presents major challenges to tracking and assessing the impact of humanitarian and poverty reduction efforts across Nigeria,” she noted.
Walker explained that the proposed framework would harmonise indicators, goals, objectives, and timelines between federal and subnational governments, creating synergy in the implementation and assessment of interventions.

“A clear set of objectives and indicators is critical for measuring humanitarian outcomes, including beneficiary reach, quality of service delivery, and the impact on vulnerable groups,” she added in a statement issued by dRPC’s Director of Communication and Partnerships, Hassan Karofi.
At the meeting, the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction received 99 memoranda, of which 37 were approved, 19 merged, and 25 stepped down.

In his remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty. He noted that addressing Nigeria’s humanitarian challenges requires a multi-stakeholder approach.
“No single institution can address the humanitarian challenges facing Nigeria. It requires coordinated interventions involving all levels of government and other stakeholders,” Doro said.

He disclosed that the federal government has so far provided conditional cash transfers to more than 34 million vulnerable Nigerians and is targeting 50 million beneficiaries before the end of the year.
Also speaking, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Tanko Sununu, emphasised the importance of collective action in tackling humanitarian challenges, particularly in the face of changing global dynamics.

Meanwhile, the Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, represented by his deputy, commended the federal government for hosting the council’s inaugural meeting in Calabar. He assured that the state would continue to support poverty reduction initiatives, especially those addressing the needs of border communities and displaced persons.