Thread by @toluogunlesi

In Dec 2018, @aneejnigeria, working with a network of 6 CSOs (one in each of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones), carried out a monitoring/review of the Aug/Sept 2018 Cash Transfers done under @HUPcct, as part of a transparency project known as MANTRA, supported by DFID.

#Thread

Here’s the background. The Abacha Loot that was returned to Nigeria in 2018 - $322.5m - was designated for the CCT (@HUPcct). As part of the return agreement signed, it was agreed that a network of CSOs would monitor/track the disbursement of the money. Hence MANTRA.

So in December 2018, they audited the cash transfer payments made 11 States in Aug/Sept of that year. And published a detailed report of their findings — what worked, what didn’t work, recommendations for improving the Scheme, etc — which is online here aneej.org/wp-content/upl…

It was a national network of CSOs - total of 35 CSOs and more than 500 field monitors were deployed in the States they covered.

Because of the nature of the Cash Transfers (targeting poor households), they knew they had to go into the field. They didn’t track it on Twitter.

What did they find? You have to read the report, hehe. But they didn’t find a perfect scheme. Nah. They found a functioning scheme, but also found various challenges and gaps.

They did find that 91% of the households they tracked reported receiving the @HUPcct money.

A few things to note about the Cash Transfers:

1. It’s N5,000 monthly, paid every two months (which means every two months beneficiaries get 10k).

2. The N5,000 is the “base” payment - households with pregnant women, infants, school-age kids may get additional “top-up” payments

Q: How are the Cash Transfer beneficiaries selected?

They are taken by @HUPcct from the National Social Register of Poor & Vulnerable Households

The National Social Register is compiled by @NasscoNigeria working w/ State Govts & local communities, & supported by the World Bank

Q: How is the National Social Register (NSR) compiled?

A:
Three steps:

1. Geographical Targeting (using NBS data)

2. Community-Based Testing (Focus Group Discussions at community level, to define poverty within local context, & identify most vulnerable)

3. Proxy Mean Testing

*Community-Based Targeting

Mrs Uwais in this 2018 interview explaining how the Community-Based Targeting works:

1. States & LGAs have a significant role to play

2. Focus Group Discussions at community levels: communities decide for themselves who goes on the Social Register, and why.

“They draw up names of people they feel are poor. When they finish, we have a plenary. ‘This is the list that‘s been drawn up, do you agree?’ And there’s always a debate, ‘yes this person is poor; no this person is not poor, he‘s actually a miser, his grandchildren live abroad.’”