In a recent report titled “Beta Don Come: Effects of Cash Transfers on Women and Households in Nigeria,” the World Bank revealed that the ₦5,000 cash transfer scheme implemented by the Nigerian Government had minimal influence on household consumption and women’s financial inclusion in the country.
According to the report, the National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP), initiated in 2016 by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, provided households with a lump sum cash transfer of ₦5,000 every two months. Despite predominantly targeting women, who served as primary caregivers, the scheme failed to significantly impact household consumption and women’s employment.
The World Bank emphasized the necessity for complementary livelihood support to ensure sustainable improvements in household self-sufficiency, noting that the program lacked substantial effects on overall household consumption, women’s employment, or financial inclusion.
The report highlighted some positive outcomes of the program, such as improvements in household savings, food security, access to farmland and livestock ownership, as well as enhanced decision-making autonomy and freedom of movement for caregivers. However, these positive impacts were primarily attributed to the saving mobilization component of the program.
Despite the efficacy of certain aspects of the program, the World Bank found no significant evidence of its overall impact on participating households.
While households that had been part of the program for longer durations experienced improvements in various welfare indicators, such as savings, food security, and economic activity, there was a lack of statistically significant effects on overall household consumption, caregivers’ employment, and financial inclusion.
The report underscores the importance of reevaluating the effectiveness of cash transfer programs and implementing complementary strategies to achieve sustainable improvements in household welfare and financial inclusion.
