The German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), in partnership with Action Against Hunger (ACF), has kick-started the support of 1.4 million vulnerable persons in Borno and Adamawa States through the expansion of the social register and strengthened social protection systems, it emerged on Tuesday
The €1 million, one-year project funded by BMZ and the European Union (EU) was launched in Abuja on Tuesday, with a kick-off meeting outlining objectives such as technical alignment on methodology, timelines, roles, quality standards, safeguards, risk mitigation, and coordination among partners including ACF, the National Programme Manager of the National Social Safety-nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCUs), GIZ, and civil society groups.
Andualem Fekadu, Deputy Country Director of Action Against Hunger Nigeria, revealed that the intervention will target communities affected by protracted conflict and insecurity, while also including a cash support component to strengthen resilience.
“This project is designed to support and strengthen the most vulnerable members of communities in Borno and Adamawa States whose livelihoods have been severely affected by prolonged security challenges,” Fekadu said, adding that the project will be implemented in close coordination with state governments.
He disclosed that one million euros has been allocated specifically for the expansion of the Social Protection and Outreach (SOQ) component, with robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms in place.
“Both GIZ and Action Against Hunger have strong monitoring and evaluation teams that will work closely with state governments and beneficiaries. We will also collaborate with state-level monitoring and evaluation departments from the beginning to the end of the project,” he said.
Fekadu acknowledged widespread humanitarian challenges across North-East, North-West, and North-Central Nigeria but noted that funding limitations currently restrict the project to Borno and Adamawa.
He highlighted Action Against Hunger’s track record in Jigawa and Kano, where Jigawa became the first state to develop and implement a social protection policy with budget allocations for vulnerable groups.
Speaking on behalf of the GIZ Head of Programme, Mrs. Ana Vanambres, Bolaji Aina, the Deputy Commission Manager – Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in Northeast, Nigeria, said the project aims to expand, update, and improve the social register by approximately 1.4 million people.
She explained that insecurity, displacement, climate shocks, and economic hardship place heavy pressure on vulnerable households and social service institutions.
“The project will use geographical targeting, Community-Based Targeting (CBT), and proxy means testing to identify vulnerable households,” Aina said.
She emphasized that a credible and inclusive social register is essential for shock-responsive interventions, better targeting, policy coordination, and efficient use of public and donor resources.
Aina added that the project supports Nigeria’s broader social protection reform agenda and strengthens state systems, integrating women, internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities into government structures rather than parallel mechanisms.
CBT, according to her, is central to enhancing transparency, accountability, and community trust.
“Success will be measured not just by the number of people registered, but by how well state systems are strengthened and how effectively the data is used to guide social protection and future policy decisions,” Aina said.
Mohamed Bala, speaking on behalf of NASSCO National Coordinator Funmilola Olotu, highlighted efforts to link households to foundational national identification systems.
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“All 19 million households captured in earlier phases of the Social Register are currently undergoing validation and updates. Over 10 million households have been visited, with at least one member per household linked to a verified identity through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“In terms of individuals, we have submitted over 11 million records to NIMC, and about 10 million have been successfully verified. This reform is not only identifying poor and vulnerable households but also giving them identity,” Bala added.
He noted that household coordinates are being captured to strengthen accuracy and credibility.
Bala explained that while the National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP) updated only 10.2 million households, the Federal Government aims to reach 15 million, leaving a gap of 4.8 million households, adding that partnerships with programs like SPIN and SUSI are helping bridge this gap.
“The government will be glad to report that partners are supporting the expansion,” he said, noting that future interventions will be fully digitized and implemented at the local government level, with NASSCO coordinating and supervising.
