Social Assistance and Poverty Reduction Amidst Multiple Crises

Research in Borno, Nigeria, demonstrates that the provision of social assistance can help build the capacity to move out of poverty, even in crises. Studies show that social assistance improves poor people’s consumption levels, human capital formation and economic growth from below. Nigeria has the foundational pieces of social assistance in place (draft policy, programme, social registry) and could expand social assistance coverage rapidly to poor and vulnerable populations affected by polycrises. However, there is a lack of trust in social assistance and in government. Commitment to carrying out regular impact evaluations would improve this evidence base.

In this brief by BASIC the team provide their policy recommendations on how to address these gaps.

Key messages

• Improving social assistance coordination and targeting through the 2021. Revised Draft National Social Protection Policy and National Social Registry are important first steps.
• Predictable finance and budget tracking is required with bigger transfers and a recovery element where people have lost assets due to multiple crises.
• A systematic evaluation of scaled-up social assistance programmes can build trust, guide decision-making, and secure stakeholder support.
• Social protection measures should incorporate climate adaptation, prioritise women’s economic empowerment, and link cash transfers with savings and entrepreneurship to foster resilience.
• A communication plan on the benefits of social transfers and the validity of the social registry as a basis for targeting is urgently needed.

This brief was produced for the BASIC (Better Assistance in Crises) Research programme in partnership with DEEP.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.19088/BASIC.2025.017