WASHINGTON, June 7, 2016—The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved $575 million in additional financing in International Development Association (IDA)* credit to scale up its support in the North-East of Nigeria and help rebuild livelihoods in a region that is home to 1.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs).
The Boko Haram insurgency has taken a toll on the six northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe, which cannot meet the most pressing needs of the millions of people affected by the ongoing conflict. It is estimated that some 15 million people have been impacted by the crisis. The recent North-East Nigeria Recovery and Peace Building Assessment, produced by the Government of Nigeria with the support of the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations, quantified the damages caused by the crisis, and identified three strategic areas of intervention to restore stability in the region: promoting peace and social cohesion; rebuilding infrastructure and social services; and creating the conditions for economic recovery.
“The needs are staggering. Millions of people have lost their livelihoods, schools and health facilities have been destroyed, and the psychosocial impact of the crisis must also be addressed,” said Rachid Benmessaoud, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria. “To help create economic opportunities for the most vulnerable, we have identified a set of initiatives that will have a quick and tangible impact on the population in four priority areas: agriculture, education, health and social protection,” he added.
The World Bank support will include:
- In the social protection sector, a $75 million to the Nigeria Community and Social Development Project will provide immediate basic social infrastructure as well as psychosocial support to communities most affected by displacement. A financing of $100 million to the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation to provide youth, women and unemployed (especially IDPs, returnees and persons with disabilities resulting from the crisis) with labor-intensive work and skills development opportunities. Cash transfers will also be provided to displaced families and individuals as they return voluntarily and safely to and settle in their old or new communities.
- In the agricultural sector, the Third Fadama Development Project ($50 million) will address the emergency needs of farmers by improving access to irrigation and drainage services, delivery of agricultural inputs, and contributing to the restoration of livelihoods in conflict-affected households with a special focus on women and youth.
- In the education sector, a $100 million to the State Education Program Investment Project will support the return to teaching and learning through financial incentives for teachers who have completed psycho-social training, and provide grants to schools to address their needs as identified by school-based management committees.
- In the health sector, a financing of $125 million and a Global Financing Facility (GFF)** trust fund grant of $20 million to the National State Health Investment Project will help to immediately reestablish health services with a focus on maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, psycho-social support and mental health. In communities in which health facilities have been destroyed, mobile clinics will be deployed to provide care. Moreover, additional financing of $125 million to the Polio Eradication Support Project will be provided to prevent any disruption in routine immunization and complete polio eradication.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 77 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 112 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $19 billion over the last three years, with about 50 percent going to Africa.
** The Global Financing Facility is a multi-stakeholder partnership that supports country-led efforts to improve the health of women, children and adolescents by acting as an innovative financing pathfinder. The GFF Trust Fund is a multi-donor trust fund that leverages additional financing for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health by linking grant funding to IDA financing.
