Save the Children International (SCI) has lamented that multidimensional poverty in Nigeria worsened in the face of the pandemic, inflation and global shocks.
It also decried that despite evidence of the impact of social protection interventions, financing options remain inadequate, coverage is limited, and intersecting shocks are driving more into poverty and vulnerability.
SCI Country Director, Duncan Harvey stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the close of the third phase of “Expanding Social Protection For Inclusive Development (ESPID) Programme jointly implemented by SCI and Action Against Hunger, across the North-western states of Jigawa, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Kano.
He described the statistics of Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty as shocking for a country so richly endowed with human and natural resources.
National Bureau of Statistics, in its recent reports revealed tbat 63 per cent of those living within Nigeria (133 million people) are multidimensionally poor.
It added that 1 – 65 per cent of these (86 million people) live in the North, two-thirds (67.5 per cent ) of children (0–17) are multidimensionally poor while half (51 per cent ) of all poor people are children.
Harvey revealed that through this investment, the United Kingdom Government, provided £4.7 million over three years through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
The country director explained that the programme has evolved over three significant phases, adding that the highly successful first phase, from 2013 to 2019, was a pioneering pilot reaching over 90,000 households.
According to him, Its goal was to reduce widespread poverty, hunger and child malnutrition in Northern Nigeria through a mixture of cash transfers, counselling and a campaign to change behaviour around maternal and childcare practices.
Harvey noted that following the CGDP’s demonstrated impact, the second and third phases — from 2019 to 2024, have focused on supporting the federal government and its subnational counterparts.
Harvey emphasised that Social Protection is an effective means for addressing multidimensional poverty and has proven to be successful in not only pulling people out of poverty but also in protecting them from falling deeper into poverty.
He said: “Nigeria needs social protection very badly. The nation continues to grapple with rising poverty – according to the National Bureau of Statistics, 63% of those living within Nigeria (133 million people) are multidimensionally poor.
“These are shocking figures for a country so richly endowed with human and natural resources.”
Harvey said for over a decade, they have remained committed to advancing social protection with a particular focus on children.
His words: “Of course, this journey has not been without challenges. Poverty has worsened in the face of the pandemic, inflation and global shocks.
“Despite evidence of the impact of social protection interventions, financing options remain inadequate, coverage is limited, and intersecting shocks are driving more into poverty and vulnerability.
“ At times, we see low political will. Yet, increasingly, there are also promising opportunities: we see the presence of supportive policies and legal frameworks, the growing interest of donors and development partners, and the possibility to design shock-responsive programmes in response to the multiple crises the country faces.”
On his part, The Country Director, Action Against Hunger, Samba Diallo said the ESPID project was founded on the belief that every individual, regardless of their circumstances, deserves access to the resources and support necessary for a dignified life.
He noted that over the past few years, they have made significant strides in system strengthening, capacity building, and advocacy for the institutionalisation of social protection.