The Federal CARES Technical Committee has disbursed $645 million (approximately N1.062 trillion) to various states for the implementation of the NG-CARES initiative and has had a substantial impact on over 9 million people.
This announcement was made during the Zonal Peer Learning and Experience Sharing Summit of NG-CARES held in Minna on Monday by Mrs. Elizabeth Egharevba the Committee’s Chairman.
Egharevba, represented at the summit by Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, National Coordinator of NG-CARES, said a total of $750 million (about N1.2 trillion) has been allocated for the programme from 2021 to 2024.
She explained that these funds were distributed across three key components of the NG-CARES programme: social safety nets, livelihoods grants, and basic services support to underprivileged communities.
“NG-CARES is a World Bank Assisted project, and the funds were disbursed under three results programme components for states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” Egharevba noted.
She commended the states for contributing a significant amount of N120 billion to the NG-CARES program. Elaborating that the programme’s focus is on these key areas, increasing food production, enhancing food supply chains, and mitigating food loss through food processing and support for micro and small enterprises.
Progress so far
Egharevba highlighted that NG-CARES has established 150 delivery platforms nationwide and has positively impacted over nine million individuals. She praised the initiative as one of the most successful among similar programmes, attributing its success to the significant involvement of state governments.
“The programme has been adjudged as the most successful among other programmes,” she stated.
During the summit, which gathered stakeholders from various regions, Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger, represented by his deputy Mr. Yakubu Garba, emphasized the state’s reinvestment of earnings from previous Independent Verification Agents (IVA) on social security into the current NG-CARES cycle.
Mr. Lawal Maikano, Commissioner for Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning in Niger, also highlighted the state’s investment in NG-CARES and its broad beneficiary base. He noted that the summit provided a valuable platform for exchanging best practices and exploring innovative solutions to advance the programme’s objectives.
What you should know
NG-CARES is a Nigerian government program designed to address the economic challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its main goals are to protect livelihoods, support economic recovery, and strengthen social protection systems.
To achieve these objectives, NG-CARES focuses on three key areas: social protection, agriculture, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The program provides various forms of support, such as cash transfers, food vouchers, grants, loans, and technical assistance, to vulnerable households, farmers, and businesses.
NG-CARES has been crucial in mitigating the negative impact of the pandemic on the Nigerian economy and society. It has provided relief to millions of Nigerians and helped to stimulate economic growth.